2021-01-30: News Headlines

Clean Energy Wire (2021-01-30). In Turnaround, New Onshore Wind jumps 50% in Germany adding 1.4 Gigs; Sector generates 20% of country's Electricity. juancole.com By Kerstine Appunn Benjamin Wehrmann | — ( Clean Energy Wire ) — Onshore wind power — the cornerstone of Germany's decarbonisation plans — has suffered from chronically low additional installations in the past years. The industry seems to have achieved a turnaround in 2020, connecting almost 50 percent more turbines to the grid than …

Claudia Andrade and Monica Johnson (2021-01-30). Liquid nitrogen leak kills six poultry workers in Gainesville, Georgia. liberationnews.org An hour drive north of Atlanta, Gainesville is home to the poultry packing capital of the U.S.

MEE and agencies (2021-01-30). Kosovo to establish diplomatic relations with Israel on 1 February. middleeasteye.net Kosovo to establish diplomatic relations with Israel on 1 February | Move may pave way to becoming first Muslim-majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem | Sat, 01/30/2021 – 10: 55 | Kosovo's Minister of Foreign Relations Meliza Haradinaj Stubla described the move as "historic" (Screengrab) | Kosovo and Israel will formally establish diplomatic relations via a virtual ceremony on Mo…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-30). Health workers, students and teachers rise up for their rights in Greece. peoplesdispatch.org Health workers demanded fresh investment in the sector to combat the pandemic while students and teachers opposed the deployment of security forces on university campuses…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-30). Austrian left demands free availability of mandatory FFP2 masks. peoplesdispatch.org In the wake of a fresh spike in COVID-19 infections, the Austrian government made it mandatory for people to wear medical-grade FFP2 masks in public transport, hospitals, shops and other establishments from January 25…

_____ (2021-01-30). EU Continues Its Smoke Screen Stunts Towards the UK and Its Own Vaccine Chaos. strategic-culture.org With the deaths rising in countries like Italy many are wondering if the EU will run out of time to claw back the credibility that the European Commission and Ursula von der Leyen badly needs. | Was it the great Groucho Marx who once said, when asked about whether he was a member of a club, "I wouldn't want to join a club which would accept me as a member"? | Is this perhaps the dilemma now for many member states of the European Union who are beginning to wake up to some harsh realities about the project? Italy, for sure, will be counting its dead and wondering why or how the EU managed to take so long to get aro…

RT (2021-01-30). 'Loud & unmasked': Democratic rep moves office citing 'safety' concerns after accusing GOP upstart Taylor Greene of 'berating' her. rt.com Democratic Rep. Cori Bush said she was forced to move her office for her own safety after Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene allegedly "berated" her on Capitol Hill, a charge the GOP upstart has emphatically denied. | Bush (Missouri) said in a Friday Twitter post that Taylor Greene and her staff "berated" her "in a hallway" in the Capitol earlier this month, adding "I'm moving my office away from hers for my team's safety." | A maskless Marjorie Taylor Greene & her staff berated me in a hallway. She targeted me & others on social media. | I'm moving my office away from hers for my team's safety. | I've…

MEE staff (2021-01-30). Covid-19: Iran says locally produced vaccine effective against UK variant. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Iran says locally produced vaccine effective against UK variant | Meanwhile, Tehran sets new rules requiring travellers from Europe to self-quarantine for two weeks after testing negative upon arrival | Sat, 01/30/2021 – 13: 45 | A health worker in Iran prepares an injection during the first trial phase of a locally made vaccine for the Covid-19 coronavirus disease in Tehran on 29 December 2020 (AFP)…

Staff (2021-01-30). Freshman Democrats Plan Resolution Calling for Marjorie Taylor Greene to Resign. truthout.org While GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia faced widespread criticism even before entering Congress this year for supporting conspiracy theories and expressing racist views, in light of Reps. Nikema Wil…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Bosnia urges EU to help resolve migrant crisis. yenisafak.com Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday urged the European Union to be more involved in finding a solution to the migrant crisis in its territory."The whole country should fight against the migrant crisis. Our borders should be strengthened as soon as possible and the entry of immigrants should be prevented. The EU needs to participate more strongly in resolving the migrant crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic.Turkovic's remarks came after meeting her Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.Meanwhile, Dendias said that as an EU member, Greece supports Bosnia an…

Richard Horton (2021-01-30). [Comment] Offline: The case for No-COVID. thelancet.com As many countries continue to struggle with a third wave of COVID-19—Hong Kong is suffering its fourth wave and is contemplating a fifth and sixth—all governments and public health authorities will need to remain open to new ideas for controlling the pandemic. This past week, Ilona Kickbusch, founding director of the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, shared a proposal being widely discussed in Germany. The approach devised by a group of clinicians and academics, which in addition to Kickbusch includes Melanie Brinkmann, Michael Hallek, M…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). 'About half' of virus cases in Lisbon due to UK variant. yenisafak.com Hospitals in Portugal's capital Lisbon continued overflowing with patients on Friday, with nearly half of the COVID-19 infections in the worst-hit region thought to be caused by the coronavirus variant first detected in the UK.The highly contagious variant is responsible for more than 32% of cases nationwide and almost 50% of all cases confirmed in Lisbon, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Twitter late Thursday.Citing the same figures, Health Minister Marta Temido said the data may not paint a full picture as it is coming from just one laboratory.Portugal has been under lockdown for two weeks and ha…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Iran authorizes use of Russian COVID-19 vaccine. yenisafak.com Iranian envoy to Moscow Kazem Jalali said Saturday that the second consignment of the Russian vaccine will reach Iran by the end of February.In the second phase, the vaccine will be jointly produced by the two countries, Jalali said, while emphasizing its safety and efficacy.The confirmation first came during Foreign Minister Javad Zarif's visit to Moscow this week, where he said the vaccine has been registered in Iran after approval from the country's health authorities.Produced by Russian Health Ministry's Gamaleya Center, Sputnik V has so far been approved for use in 14 countries even though discussions at the…

sputniknews (2021-01-30). 'Mafia-Like EU 'Cocked up Big Time' Over 'Trumpian' Move to Block COVID Jabs From Entering UK. sputniknews.com Earlier, Brussels introduced export controls on COVID-19 vaccines, affecting countries like the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, while temporarily overriding Brexit deal terms enabling goods to flow across the Northern Irish border, only to swiftly backtrack on what was branded by Northern Ireland as an "incredible act of hostility."

sputniknews (2021-01-30). 'Greatest Crisis Since World War II': EU Struggles With COVID Vaccine Roll-Out Amid Shortages. sputniknews.com Earlier, the European Union slapped restrictions on exports of COVID-19 inoculations outside the bloc amid an escalating vaccine trade war with Great Britain, as Brussels found itself under fire over the slow pace of delivery to the 27 member-states, while post-Brexit UK was making impressive immunisation strides.

_____ (2021-01-30). How A US-Backed Coup In Serbia Inspired The DC Insurrection. popularresistance.org As the Capitol insurrection on January 6 descended into a frenzy of mob violence, a far-right paramilitary group known as the Oath Keepers marched through the sea of rioters and protesters, up the east steps of the Capitol building and into the rotunda. Video from that day shows the Oath Keepers marching in a military formation known as "Ranger File", described by the Associated Press as 'standard operating procedure for a combat team that is "stacking up" to breach a building — instantly recognizable to any U.S. soldier or Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.' | On November 10, 2020, nearly two month…

Online News Editor (2021-01-30). Brits in Spain, a month on from Brexit. laprensalatina.com Alicante, Spain, Jan 30 (efe-epa).- From apathy to anger, it is a familiar emotional journey for many in Spain's British expatriate community since Brexit became official a month ago. With an estimated 262,000 registered residents, Brits comprise the fourth-largest foreign community in Spain, the majority based in the warm Mediterranean coast, the Balearics or the …

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Turkey 'neutralizes' three YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Syria. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces "neutralized" three YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, in a protected area near Turkey's southern border, the National Defense Ministry announced Saturday.The terrorists were trying to infiltrate the area of Turkey's cross-border anti-terror operations — Peace Spring and Euphrates Shield — to disrupt peace and security in the region, the ministry said on Twitter.Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations in northern Syria to prevent…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Turkey, Russia begin monitoring Karabakh truce. yenisafak.com A joint Turkish and Russian center to monitor a cease-fire deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia has become operational in Upper Karabakh on Saturday.Established in the Merzilli village of the Aghdam region, the center will monitor the implementation of the Russian-brokered agreement which was reached in November after six weeks of intense fighting.Following the Nov. 10 truce, Turkey and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a joint center to monitor the peace deal on Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenia's occupation.Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, Turkey's Deputy Minister of N…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Six Syrian civilians dead, 25 hurt in Afrin terror attack. yenisafak.com Some 25 more people were wounded when a vehicle packed with explosives blew up at an industrial site in Afrin district, the sources said.No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, but it was likely carried out by the YPG/PKK terror group.Afrin was largely cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists in 2018 through Turkey's anti-terror offensive Operation Olive Branch, but the terror group still has sleeper cells.YPG/PKK terrorists continue to carry out attacks but do not claim responsibility when they end up harming civilians, according to local security sources.The terror group, attacking from Syria's adjacent Ta…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Turkey rescues 48 asylum seekers in Aegean. yenisafak.com The Turkish Coast Guard on Saturday rescued at least 48 asylum seekers whose boats were pushed by Greek coastal authorities into Turkish waters in the Aegean Sea, according to security sources.A coast guard team was dispatched to an area off Cesme in the western Izmir province after they learned a group of asylum seekers was stranded on a dinghy, said a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.A total of 19 asylum seekers were brought ashore, the source added.Separately, coast guards rescued 29 asylum seekers on a dinghy in the Dikili district after they asked for help.They w…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Turkey ratifies agreements with 7 countries. yenisafak.com The Turkish government ratified agreements with seven countries in areas of education, sports, and health, according to information issued in the Official Gazette on Saturday.A visa cooperation deal with Azerbaijan, signed on Feb. 25 last year, was among the approved agreements.It aims to facilitate short-term travel between the two countries and gives citizens a 30-day visa validity period from the date of entry.Turkey's extradition agreement with Kosovo inked on May 31, 2011 was also ratified.The agreement aims to "develop international cooperation in the field of criminal law" and "further ends of justice and…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Follow measures not to risk 3rd peak in Turkey: Expert. yenisafak.com Dr. Afsin Emre Kayipmaz, a member of Turkey's Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, said people should continue to follow measures especially during the winter months and noted there has been an increase in coronavirus infections in Turkey in the past four days.Kayipmaz told Anadolu Agency that lockdown measures in the last couple of months are a major factor in reducing cases and deaths.He said the vaccination process for social immunization in Turkey had already started but it was only performed on a part of the society and urged the country to continue to follow measures for a while until the immunity rate wo…

yenisafak (2021-01-30). Houthis hail Italy's block of arms sales to Saudi, UAE. yenisafak.com Yemen's Houthi rebels have welcomed an Italian decision to suspend the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)."Italy's announcement of halting arms sales to the countries that are engaged in an aggression on Yemen is a positive move," rebel spokesman Mohamed Abdel-Salam said on Twitter.He said the move would "contribute to protecting [Yemeni] civilians and support the peace process".On Friday, Italy's Foreign Ministry announced blocking exports of arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, following warnings by activists and lawmakers about the use of weapons in violation of human rights in Yemen…

sputniknews (2021-01-30). 'Untreated Schizophrenia': Twitter Explodes Over Rep. Greene's 'Jewish Laser Beam' Conspiracy Theory. sputniknews.com Republican Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia's 14th congressional district, previously came under fire for espousing Qanon conspiracy theories, that the administration of former President Donald Trump was involved in fighting an elite group of Satan-worshippers and child abusers.

Francesco Versaci, Giacomo Frati, Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai (2021-01-30). [Correspondence] Managing NSTEMI in older patients. thelancet.com In the SENIOR-NSTEMI study, Amit Kaura and colleagues1 exploit state-of-the-art statistical approaches including target trial design, propensity score-adjusted regression, and inverse probability of treatment weighting, with the results clearly favouring an invasive management strategy in older patients (‚â•80 years old) with NSTEMI. However, some additional details should be provided by the investigators, to avoid any suspicion of residual confounding factors and strengthen the evidence that the invasive strategy is actually and mechanistically beneficial.

Amit Kaura, Jonathan A C Sterne, Adam Trickey, Jamil Mayet (2021-01-30). [Correspondence] Managing NSTEMI in older patients — Authors' reply. thelancet.com We thank Francesco Versaci and colleagues and Alberto Cordero and colleagues for their comments about our SENIOR-NSTEMI study.1 Versaci and colleagues raise concerns about residual confounding relating to the extent and severity of coronary artery disease, which might have influenced management strategy decisions and patient prognosis. Information regarding the burden of coronary artery disease is usually not known when the clinical decision to manage patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction invasively or non-invasively is made.

Online News Editor (2021-01-30). EU performs U-turn on vaccine controls at Irish-UK border. laprensalatina.com Brussels, Jan 30 (efe-epa).- The European Union has backed down on its plan to subject vaccine exports to checks on the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The European Commission on Friday implemented a mechanism to track the export of vaccines manufactured on EU soil amid a contract dispute with Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical …

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-30). 'The Feast of the Goat' to go on screen at French filmfest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (MNA) — Iranian short 'The Feast of the Goat' has made it into the competition program of the Meme Pas Peur Film Festival in France.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-30). Iran recent nuclear moves 'not a violation of JCPOA'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Spain Hassan Ghashghavi said that the recent move taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the nuclear field is its inalienable right not a violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-30). FM Zaif's visit to Azerbaijan has strategic importance: Envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan said that visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the Republic of Azerbaijan is of strategic importance.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-30). US, Russia in 'serious' talks over JCPOA: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (MNA) — US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan told TV Rain in an interview that Washington was carefully considering the issue of returning to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Areeb Ullah (2021-01-29). Italy blocks arms exports to Saudi Arabia and UAE. middleeasteye.net Italy blocks arms exports to Saudi Arabia and UAE | Campaigners said the decision would block 12,700 bombs bound for Riyadh and Abu Dhabi | Fri, 01/29/2021 – 11: 21 | Campaigners described the decision to block arms sales as 'historic' (Screengrab) | Italy has stopped arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after concerns were raised that Italian weapons could be used to kill civilians…

RT (2021-01-29). EU to impose controls on Covid-19 vaccine exports, saying it has 'no choice but to act' amid AstraZeneca row. rt.com The EU will impose export controls on Covid-19 vaccines made within the trading bloc, the European Commission said on Friday, in the wake of its huge row with manufacturer AstraZeneca over vaccine shortages. | Under the restrictions, in place until the end of March, vaccine manufacturers such as AstraZeneca and Pfizer must tell the EU where they are sending doses, and are required to get EU authorization before shipping doses from the bloc to non-EU nations. | The act applies only to exports from companies with which the EU has already signed an advance-purchase agreement, such as AstraZeneca. | The World Trad…

RT (2021-01-29). 'No prejudice': French vaccination strategy chief says EU should 'consider' using Russian, Chinese jabs. rt.com There is no reason for Brussels not to consider using the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Russia or by China if their safety and efficacy has been demonstrated, France's vaccination program coordinator, Alain Fischer, has said. | The EU should consider every Covid-19 vaccine available, Fischer told France's BFM TV on Friday, adding that "there should be no prejudices regarding the origins of vaccines." The immunology professor and pediatrician said that the only criteria one should use in assessing a jab are its efficacy and safety, and the ease with which it can be delivered to European countries. | "If they s…

RT (2021-01-29). In the name of transparency? German Finance Ministry's PR expenses explode, DOUBLING in one year & still rising amid pandemic. rt.com Germany's Finance Ministry has found itself in hot water over immodest publicity expenses that have seen its PR budget more than double over the past four years — and counting — even as the country battled the Covid-19 pandemic. | In fact, finance minister Olaf Scholz, who is running as a candidate for chancellor in the upcoming September general election, doubled the PR budget of his ministry in just one year, government documents Back in 2018, Scholz's…

Morning Star (2021-01-29). Iran pursues German companies that gave Saddam Hussein chemical weapons. peoplesworld.org Iran vowed on Wednesday to take action against German companies for supplying the former Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein with chemical weapons. Ismail Baqai Hamaneh, Tehran's representative at the United Nations in Geneva , told the UN-linked Conference on Disarmament: "Iran will never back down from pursuing Germany's crime of arming Saddam with chemical weapons." …

RT (2021-01-29). 'This issue is not on the agenda': Kremlin rejects suggestions that Ukraine's breakaway Donbass should be integrated into Russia. rt.com Russia has no plans to absorb the Donbass region of Ukraine and the Kremlin is solely focused on protecting the Russian-speaking population of that area, according to comments on Friday from spokesman Dmitry Peskov. | Peskov's remarks came after RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan spoke at the 'Russian Donbass' conference in Donetsk on Thursday, at which she appealed to the authorities to place the territory under Moscow's control. | "Russia takes a very responsible position in the effort to assist Ukraine in resolving its internal crisis," Peskov said. "This issue is not on the agenda, either directly or in…

teleSUR (2021-01-29). Portugal's Parliament Decriminalizes Euthanasia. telesurenglish.net Portugal's Parliament on Friday passed a law decriminalizing euthanasia. This happened with 136 votes in favor, 78 against, and 4 abstentions. | RELATED: | The Law is "totally pluralistic and respects whoever chooses the day of his or her death with the help of third parties", Socialist lawmaker Isabel Moreira said | The rule establishes that the applicant for assisted death must be of legal age, not have mental problems,…

WSWS (2021-01-29). Nitrogen leak kills six at Gainesville, Georgia poultry plant. wsws.org Gainesville, which bills itself as the "Poultry Capital of the World," is also one of the centers of the coronavirus pandemic in Georgia.

WSWS (2021-01-29). Clinic closures in Germany continue despite pandemic. wsws.org The pandemic, which has now been raging for a year, urgently requires an expansion of health care, but 21 clinics across Germany were closed down last year.

_____ (2021-01-29). Corporate Media Bash Teachers Unions For Resisting School Reopenings. popularresistance.org The seven-day average COVID death toll hit an all time high yesterday, with over 3,400 Americans expected to die on any given day. Educator cases are on the rise. Studies have shown that children are as likely to contract and pass the coronavirus on as adults, making schools potential super spreading hotspots. As a result, European nations like the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands are shuttering schools, despite, in many cases, having lower infection rates than the U.S. | President Biden, however, is pushing forward with a new plan to achieve a near full reopening within his…

WSWS (2021-01-29). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org British energy strike continues over "fire-and-rehire"; French teachers, school nurses and students walk out over pay and Covid safety issues; Dutch metal and electronic workers strike over pay; Nigeria's non-teaching university staff to strike over cuts, pay and conditions…

Royce Kurmelovs (2021-01-29). Who is Alexei Navalny? Behind the myth of the West's favorite Russian opposition figure. thegrayzone.com Despite facing repression, Alexei Navalny is no hero. Russian writer Katya Kazbek reveals the Western-backed opposition figure's real history. This interview was originally published at Royce Kurmelovs' Raising Hell Substack newsletter and republished with permission. Compressed into a two-minute soundbite, the story of Alexei Navalny and the recent protests that have erupted across Russia seems simple enough. The Russian opposition figure who recently survived an attempt on his life — an alleged poisoning delivered via Novichok-laced pants — was arrested and convicted …

RT (2021-01-29). 'I'm satisfied': 18yo Russian genius scores sensational win over world chess champ Carlsen — then says he could have played better. rt.com Russian chess grandmaster Andrey Esipenko earned a huge upset by beating world chess champion Magnus Carlsen at a tournament — then claimed he had not felt pre-match nerves and humbly reflected that he "could have played better." | The 18-year-old beat the world's best chess player in style, inflicting a crushing defeat on the famed Norwegian in the Netherlands to end his impressive winning streak of 125 games. | Esipenko needed just eight rounds to crush the reigning World Chess Champion in 17 moves, recording Carlsen's first loss since 2017. | The result was one of the most shocking defeats suffered by…

RT (2021-01-29). 'I know what it is to be injured': Khabib Nurmagomedov warns Virgil van Dijk to 'be patient' after meeting crocked Liverpool star. rt.com UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has published a picture on Instagram of himself with totemic Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk, telling the Liverpool talisman to be patient as he continues his rehab from a serious knee injury. | Van Dijk suffered a harrowing injury to his right ACL in October's Merseyside derby with Everton when he was felled by a lunge from the Toffees' England international goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. | The Premier League winner, who was predicted to be out of the game for anywhere between six and 12 months, faces an arduous return to full fitness but has received the backing of mixed ma…

RT (2021-01-29). France SHUTS borders to ALL TRAVEL to and from non-EU countries in push to control Covid spread. rt.com The French government will shut the state's borders to all traffic to and from countries outside of the EU as of Sunday, Prime Minister Jean Castex has announced, in an effort to ward off yet another Covid lockdown in France. | Speaking in a televised address after meeting with President Emmanuel Macron and senior ministers, Castex said that officials had decided against introducing a new national lockdown in a drastic bid to curb new Covid infections. Instead, tighter border controls are being introduced alongside tougher action against covid rule-breakers. | "We know the grave impact [lockdown has]. Tonight,…

RT (2021-01-29). No one's above the law? FBI lawyer who altered evidence to enable spying on Trump gets PROBATION instead of jail. rt.com The only FBI official charged in the improper use of FISA warrants to spy on President Donald Trump via campaign aide Carter Page got a slap on the wrist. Kevin Clinesmith's sentence was a year of probation, and community service. | Clinesmith worked at the FBI General Counsel's Office (GCO) and was assigned to Crossfire Hurricane, the probe of Trump's alleged ties with Russia during the 2016 election. In that capacity, he altered an email from the CIA that described Page as a source for the spy agency, to say he was "not" a source — enabling the FBI to request a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FIS…

RT (2021-01-29). Now you see him, now you don't: Emotional Djokovic shocks fans by leaving tennis event ahead of Australian Open — then reappearing. rt.com Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has left fans puzzled by his latest show of unorthodox behavior ahead of the Australian Open, pulling out of an exhibition event in Adelaide before emerging back on court midway through a match. | The top-ranked player withdrew from Adelaide's Memorial Drive just hours after being released from quarantine, citing blisters on his right hand as he hit the headlines again before the headline tournament had even started. | The 17-time Grand Slam winner, who served his quarantine in Adelaide alongside other top stars including Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, left fa…

RT (2021-01-29). A done deal: Following agreement with Biden, law extending New START nuclear treaty with US for 5 years signed into law by Putin. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill extending the New START nuclear arms reduction agreement, the Kremlin has announced. Should his US counterpart Joe Biden follow suit, the treaty will remain in force until 2026. | Friday evening's move comes just two days after the Russian parliament unanimously agreed to prolong the pact that was about to expire on February 5. | Earlier this week, Putin and Biden agreed to trigger the five-year extension clause following a lengthy phone call. This launched the paperwork needed to save the treaty, which had been left in limbo after the previous Donald Trump ad…