The Kremlin has said it sees Nato as a security threat, and is demanding legal guarantees that the alliance will not expand further east,...

26 January 2022

(See Translation in Arabic Section)

Sydney - M E Times Int'l: Some 8,500 combat-ready US troops are on high alert to deploy at short notice amid rising tension over Ukraine, the Pentagon says.

Russia continues to deny planning military action against Ukraine, despite massing 100,000 troops nearby.

President Biden held a video call with European allies on Monday as Western powers aim for a common strategy against Russian aggression.

The Pentagon said no decision had yet been made on whether to deploy troops.

It would only happen if the Nato military alliance decides to activate a rapid-reaction force, "or if other situations develop" around the Russian troop build-up, said Pentagon press secretary John Kirby.

There are no plans to deploy to Ukraine itself, he added.

Some Nato members, including Denmark, Spain, France and the Netherlands, are already planning or considering sending fighter jets and warships to eastern Europe to bolster defences in the region.

Over the weekend, some 90 tonnes of US "lethal aid" including ammunition for "front-line defenders" arrived in Ukraine.

As well as President Biden, Monday's video call included UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg.

EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel also dialled in.

"I had a very, very, very good meeting - total unanimity with all the European leaders," Mr Biden said afterwards.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders "agreed on the importance of international unity in the face of growing Russian hostility".

Should a further Russian incursion into Ukraine happen, the leaders agreed that "allies must enact swift retributive responses including an unprecedented package of sanctions".

Earlier on Monday, Mr Johnson warned that "gloomy" intelligence suggests Russia is planning a lightning raid on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

"The intelligence is very clear that there are 60 Russian battle groups on the borders of Ukraine, the plan for a lightning war that could take out Kyiv is one that everybody can see," he said.

"We need to make it very clear to the Kremlin, to Russia, that that would be a disastrous step."

The Kremlin has said it sees Nato as a security threat, and is demanding legal guarantees that the alliance will not expand further east, including into neighbouring Ukraine. But the US has said the issue at stake is Russian aggression, not Nato expansion.

The Biden administration told relatives of its embassy staff to leave Ukraine on Sunday, and the UK has started withdrawing staff from its embassy.

Free use of Aboriginal flag secured for all Australians

Canberra: The Aboriginal Flag is now freely available for public use after the Morrison Government completed negotiations with Harold Thomas.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Aboriginal Flag copyright has been transferred to the Commonwealth.

“We’ve freed the Aboriginal flag for Australians,” the Prime Minister said.

“Throughout the negotiations, we have sought to protect the integrity of the Aboriginal Flag, in line with Harold Thomas’ wishes. I thank everyone involved for reaching this outcome, putting the flag in public hands.

“The Aboriginal Flag will now be managed in a similar manner to the Australian National Flag, where its use is free, but must be presented in a respectful and dignified way.

“All Australians can now put the Aboriginal Flag on apparel such as sports jerseys and shirts, it can be painted on sports grounds, included on websites, in paintings and other artworks, used digitally and in any other medium without having to ask for permission or pay a fee.”

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said securing the free use of the Aboriginal Flag was profoundly important for all Australians.

“The Aboriginal Flag is an enduring symbol close to the heart of Aboriginal people,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Over the last 50 years we made Harold Thomas’ artwork our own - we marched under the Aboriginal Flag, stood behind it, and flew it high as a point of pride.

“In reaching this agreement to resolve the copyright issues, all Australians can freely display and use the flag to celebrate Indigenous culture. Now that the Commonwealth holds the copyright, it belongs to everyone, and no one can take it away.”

Australian Open: Peng Shuai T-shirt ban reversed after outcry

Melbourne: The organisers of the Australian Open have reversed a ban on T-shirts supporting Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai after a global outcry.

Last Friday, security staff had asked spectators to remove T-shirts and a banner saying "Where is Peng Shuai?" before entering the grounds.

Ms Peng vanished for weeks after accusing a top Chinese official of sexual misconduct in November.

She has since re-appeared, but many remain concerned about her wellbeing.

Craig Tiley, chief executive of Tennis Australia - the organising body behind the Australian Open - told reporters they would now allow spectators to wear the T-shirt as long as they attended without the "intent to disrupt" and were "peaceful".

"If someone wants to wear a T-shirt and make a statement about Peng Shuai that's fine," he was quoted as saying in The Sydney Morning Herald.

But he added that banners would still not be allowed as "it really takes away from the comfort and safety of the fans", and that security staff would make decisions on a case-by-case basis.

The reversal comes less than 24 hours after Tennis Australia had defended their ban, saying that under their ticket conditions of entry they did not allow "clothing, banners or signs that are commercial or political".

The decision was met with fierce criticism from human rights groups and the international tennis community, with some suggesting that organisers were bowing to pressure from major Chinese corporate sponsors.

COVID-19 settings remain in place to maintain community safety

Sydney: The NSW Government will extend current restrictions for another month as the State continues to take a measured response to managing COVID-19 with a focus on a safe return to school and restarting non-urgent elective surgery as soon as possible.

Current settings will continue from Thursday, 27 January 2022 until Sunday, 28 February 2022, including:

• Hospitality venues, including pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes, and nightclubs must follow the one person per two square metre rule indoors;

• Masks are required in all indoor settings (except residences). Masks are strongly encouraged where you cannot maintain a safe distance from others;

• QR code check-ins are compulsory at certain premises, including hospitality venues and retail shops;

• Singing and dancing is not permitted in hospitality venues, entertainment facilities, nightclubs, indoor music festivals and indoor major recreation facilities (except for weddings, performers, instructors and students).

Premier Dominic Perrottet said rolling over these measures would continue to protect the community and our health system.

“We have always said we will respond to what is in front of us and tailor our approach as required and that is exactly what we are doing,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We are transitioning to living with COVID and we will need to continually update our approach to ensure we are keeping people safe and protecting our health system.

“It is vital people continue to come forward and get their booster shots to help keep themselves, their family and the community safe.”

As additional measures, people are encouraged to continue to work from home where possible and to reduce mingling when eating and drinking.

Minister for Health Brad Hazzard said there is plenty of availability and supply of boosters in the NSW Health vaccination clinics so those eligible for their booster shot should book as soon as possible.

“The gap between your second jab and your booster is now just three months, so don’t waste time – the sooner we all get our boosters the sooner we will overcome this Omicron wave,” Mr Hazzard said.

More information is available at nsw.gov.au.

Doctor Daniel Nour who founded mobile medical service for the homeless named 2022 Young Australian of the Year

Sydney: Daniel Nour was in his final year of his medical degree in London when he saw a man having a seizure at a train station. He stopped and helped the man, and later discovered he was homeless.

Dr Nour said the moment was a turning point for him, as he realised the gap in medical support for people experiencing homelessness and decided to do something about it.

He returned to Australia, and in 2020 he started Street Side Medics, a not-for-profit GP-lead mobile medical service for vulnerable people in New South Wales.

For his work delivering medical support to people experiencing homelessness, 26-year-old Dr Nour has been named the Young Australian of the Year for 2022.

Street Side Medics now has 145 volunteers and four clinics across New South Wales, and has changed the lives of more than 300 patients by dealing with neglected medical needs and detecting conditions that would have otherwise gone unnoticed, such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, and heart disease.

"With his leadership and social consciousness, Daniel is committed to making a real difference to the lives of many Australians. He's also making significant improvements to society," the Australian of the Year awards panel said in a statement.

Despite working full time at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Dr Nour volunteers his afternoons to ensure the four Street Side Medics sites run smoothly.

Chair of the National Australia Day Council, Danielle Roche OAM, said Dr Nour's work had helped ensure vulnerable people can receive medical care.

"Dr Daniel Nour and Street Side Medics work to make sure no Australian gets left behind, providing vital medical care and lifesaving treatment to those experiencing homelessness and who might otherwise fall through the cracks," she said.

Why some people don’t get Covid when others in their household are positive

Sydney: Has your partner, family member or housemate tested positive to Covid and you’ve thought ‘argh, I’m definitely going to get it too’?

You might be surprised to know that it is not always the case.

Sydneysider Kyle Byrnes was “genuinely surprised” when he spent his whole isolation period with his Covid-positive partner without testing positive himself.

He explained they had even shared a bedroom for about four days while she had mild symptoms and then separated within the house, but still had contact.

“On a day-to-day basis there was not much we could to do stay away from each other,” he said. “I was kind of counting it as inevitable (that I would catch it).”

Mr Byrnes and his partner had both had their booster vaccines.

The 26-year-old is one of many Australians sharing their luck about not contracting Covid from household contacts despite Omicron being a highly contagious strain.

Professor Tony Cunningham, an infectious diseases physician, clinical virologist and scientist from The University of Sydney, told news.com.au there are many factors that contribute to this scenario and they are not exclusive to Covid.

“If there isn’t spread in a family that is 100 per cent it may be because of the levels of immunity of the person who’s got it, so the virus has fallen off quickly, it may be the level of immunity in the person receiving it and that could be ‘specific’ because they’re immunised or ‘not specific’ because they’re just lucky enough to have the right genes,” Prof Cunningham said.

Mr Cunningham explained that people who are vaccinated against Covid, particularly with a booster dose, will likely have the amount of virus initially in their nose and respiratory tract “fall off faster”, meaning they’re not contagious for as long.

The non-infectious partner will also have varying levels of immunity, and be more protected with a booster dose or if they’ve had the virus before.

Of course, the nature of transmission is a factor as with any virus, he said. Were the Covid positive person and the household contact with the negative result really that close during the infectious period?

Perrottet says NSW is 'truly blessed' as 1,000 retired teaches, uni students come forward to help schools stay open

Sydney: A thousand retired teachers and final year university students have come forward to support the New South Wales education system with students set to return to the classroom within days.

The state government had encouraged the two groups to help assist schools plug staffing gaps when teachers are forced into isolation due to COVID-19, allowing students to continue face-to-face learning.

Premier Dominic Perrottet revealed the news on Monday, a day after unveiling his state's return-to-school plan. 

"I want to thank the 1,000 people who came forward, retired teachers as well as final year university students to provide that buffer, provide assistance to our education system at this time," he said.

"I think it speaks volumes of the values of our great state, that everybody is willing to work together, to put their hands up to assist.

"And to have a thousand people come forward to provide that additional support for our education system, I think we're truly blessed."

Meanwhile, five million rapid antigen tests have been distributed to schools across NSW , in what is a key component of the state's return-to-school plan.

The RATs will be given to primary and high school students and staff for twice-weekly testing.

"Already today we have five million rapid antigen tests that have been distributed to schools across our state and the rest are following over the next day," he said.

"Can I thank the volunteers in the department of education who came out outside their general ordinary course of work to ensure that we were able to receive those tests, package those tests, face masks and PPE and sent them out to schools right across NSW.

"It has been a significant achievement, a massive military operation, we've had over 3,000 schools across NSW who'll be receiving these tests, over 5,000 early childcare centres as well."

Masks will also be mandated for all staff and high school students and encouraged for children in primary schools as part of the government's COVID-Smart Plan.

It comes as the state recorded a significant drop in COVID-19 case numbers with 15,091 infections and 24 deaths.

A total of 104 patients were admitted to hospital in the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm on Sunday, with 2,816 hospitalisations and 189 patients in intensive care.

Across the state, 95.3 per cent of residents aged 16 and over have received one vaccine dose, 93.9 per cent are double vaccinated and 33.5 per cent have received their booster shot.

Senior health experts, Qantas join line of critics to controversial WA hard border

W/Aust: Senior health experts have hit out at Premier Mark McGowan after he announced a delay in reopening the West Australian border despite Omicron already spreading in the state.

Mr McGowan scrapped the February 5 date, citing the surge of cases in the eastern states and suggesting parents needed more time to vaccinate their children, while others required more time to get their booster shot.

Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said on Monday that the border was never going to protect WA from Omicron forever.

 “Relying on it as the main strategy now is unwise, especially as we have the virus spreading exponentially in WA,” he wrote on social media.

“Sensible public health measures early (are) needed, not when it’s too late. Mark McGowan knows this but still pushes this line that we are safe behind our border wall.

“The idea that we can extend our time in ‘paradise’ without having to face the virus is a fantasy and this has been acknowledged by the Premier in the past. Hence my shock/disappointment.”

Dr Khorshid further added that the virus was getting ahead of WA.

“A well managed summer outbreak, while the elderly are recently boosted, (is) likely to be better than waiting until winter with waning boosters, influenza and when hospitals in WA (are) already full to the brim without Covid,” he said.

He also urged the state government to introduce tougher restrictions to stop the spread of the virus, such as venue capacity limits. WA already has a mask mandate for indoor public places.

“Our bubble has burst and NSW shows that if you let it rip the consequences will be dire,” Dr Khorshid said.

His comments come after former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth said postponing the reopening risked an outbreak during the flu season.

“Delay WA border opening until 80 per cent boosted, which will occur sometime around May, to coincide with the start of the winter flu season, which may well be worse this year due to lack of, you guessed it, immunity from recent infection. Courageous indeed,” he wrote on social media.

More than 1300 people have also signed a petition calling for the WA border to reopen on February 5, as originally planned.

Meanwhile, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce told 6PR radio on Monday that the airline had 20,000 people booked to fly in the first week of the border reopening, who then had their flights cancelled.

Mr Joyce said families had been left heartbroken and there was also a lot of anxiety for businesses in Australia with the continuing hard border.

“This uncertainty is creating for us a lot of angst about what do we plan going forward without having a certain date,” he said.

Late last week when Mr McGowan made the announcement, there were a flood of comments on social media from families who complained about still being separated by the hard border.

But the Premier insisted the “significantly expanded exemption criteria” meant many people would still be able to travel to WA to see their family.

Opposition tourism spokesman Vince Catania said many struggling businesses had worked hard to meet requirements for the February 5 reopening and now their hopes were dashed.

“Those tourism and business operators have now been left without any clear plan or direction on what the change to an indefinite reopening date means for them,” he said.

“Industry deserves certainty after shouldering the brunt of snap lockdowns to keep our state safe, generally announced with little time for them to pivot their businesses or face significant financial losses.”

Qantas workers fighting COVID-19 vaccination mandate lose court bid to avoid disciplinary action

Sydney: A group of Qantas employees who say the company did not "investigate" COVID-19 vaccines before enforcing a mandate have lost their bid to stall disciplinary action against them, while they await a court hearing to challenge the policy.

Last September Qantas Group announced all of its staff, including people who work at their subsidiary companies such as Jetstar, would need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

By November 15, all frontline employees, including pilots, cabin crew and those who work in ground services, were required to have two doses of the vaccine or face termination.

Last Friday, 24 aviation staff, including pilots and engineers from several states launched legal action in the Federal Court against the airline, alleging its vaccination policy was in breach of the Fair Work Act and privacy laws.

At the time, chief executive Alan Joyce said having a fully vaccinated workforce would "safeguard" workers against the virus, but also protect customers and the communities they serviced.

"It's clear that vaccinations are the only way to end the cycle of lockdowns and border closures and for a lot of Qantas and Jetstar employees that means getting back to work again," he said.

The group also applied for an urgent interim injunction to prevent the enforcement of the vaccine direction and to prevent them from losing their jobs while the legal process was underway.

During an interlocutory hearing this morning, the group told the court Qantas had not issued a "lawful or reasonable direction" as it had undertaken "insufficient investigation" into available vaccines.

They also submitted that full consultation under the company's bargaining agreement was not carried out and Qantas had relied on a company-wide survey to make its decision.

NZ PM Ardern calls off wedding amid Omicron outbreak

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has cancelled her wedding after announcing new Covid restrictions.

The entire country is set to be placed under the highest level of Covid restrictions after an outbreak of the Omicron variant.

The restrictions include a cap of 100 vaccinated people at events and mask wearing in shops and on public transport.

Prince Harry trying to mend fractured relationship with Prince Charles

Prince Harry has “reached out” to his father Prince Charles in a bid to try and heal their fractured relationship ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Duke of Sussex has been on “much better terms” with Prince Charles ahead of his expected return to the UK in June.

“There has been a definite thaw in relations between Harry and Charles. They are on much better terms and have been having friendly chats and video calls,” a royal source told The Sun.

“It has been suggested to Harry he may live to regret any lingering family bitterness, and he has taken that on board.

“There is a feeling he is coming back more into the fold and wants to be closer to his family.”

Pharmacists voice concern over rapid antigen test supply issues

Sydney: Pharmacists warn pensioners and other concession card holders will struggle to find rapid antigen tests when they become available for free at pharmacies today.

It comes as 6.6 million concession card holders can claim up to 10 tests over the next 3 months under the scheme – with a maximum of 5 per month.

Smaller chemists say they do not have enough stock to begin handing out the free kits – as they compete with Coles, Woolworths and larger chains such as Chemist Warehouse.