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Medvedev Ends Grand Slam Drought with Australian Open Win

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Daniil Medvedev snapped a 370-day wait for a Grand Slam victory by beating Dutchman Jesper de Jong in the first round of the Australian Open, ending a run of three consecutive first-round exits at majors in 2025. The 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7-2) win in Melbourne extended his unbeaten start to the season to 6-0, following his title triumph at the Brisbane International earlier this month.

The former world number one said he has been making a conscious effort to stay more positive on court after a turbulent year marked by emotional outbursts and inconsistent form. Medvedev admitted his struggles last season were largely mental rather than physical, as tension crept into his game during matches, affecting his serve and groundstrokes.

Now ranked 11th and working with new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke after splitting with long-time mentor Gilles Cervara, Medvedev appears to have found renewed stability. The 2021 US Open champion, a three-time Australian Open runner-up, will next face France’s Quentin Halys as he looks to build momentum in Melbourne.

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Trump Tells Norway He No Longer Feels Bound to Pursue Only Peace

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U.S. President Donald Trump told Norway’s prime minister that he no longer feels obliged “to think purely of peace,” citing his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, while again pressing his demand for U.S. control of Greenland. The remarks were made in a written response to a message from Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who had urged de-escalation and sought talks after Trump threatened tariffs on European allies over the issue.

In his message, Trump complained that Norway had not awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize despite what he described as his role in stopping multiple wars, and said he would instead focus on what is “good and proper” for the United States. Støre responded by reiterating that the Nobel Peace Prize is decided by an independent committee, not the Norwegian government. Trump has openly campaigned for the award, which was last given to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Trump also questioned Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, arguing it could not adequately protect the island and disputing its historical claims, despite longstanding treaties and U.S. recognition of Danish authority. He concluded by asserting that U.S. and global security depended on “complete and total control” of Greenland, again linking the issue to NATO burden-sharing and U.S. strategic interests.

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Deadly High-Speed Train Collision Kills 39 in Southern Spain

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At least 39 people were killed and more than 120 injured after two high-speed trains collided late Sunday near Adamuz in Spain’s southern Cordoba province, marking the country’s deadliest rail disaster since 2013. One train derailed before crashing into an oncoming service, with around 400 passengers believed to be on board the two trains operated by Iryo and state-run Renfe.

Rescue efforts were hampered by the remote location, accessible only by a single-track road, delaying ambulances and heavy equipment. Survivors described scenes of chaos and severe injuries as emergency crews worked through the night. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cancelled an international trip to visit the site, while authorities opened a DNA identification centre for victims’ families as the death toll was expected to rise.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, though railway officials said human error was unlikely. One train reportedly lost a wheel before derailing, and the second train collided with either the rear carriages or debris on the track seconds later. The track had been renovated last year at a cost of €700 million, renewing scrutiny of infrastructure reliability on Spain’s extensive high-speed rail network.

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Avalanches Claim Eight Lives in Austrian Alps

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A series of deadly avalanches struck the Austrian Alps on Saturday, claiming eight lives amid heavy snowfall and hazardous conditions. Five people were killed in two avalanches in the Pongau area near Salzburg, according to local mountain rescue officials. The incidents involved seven ski tourers near Finsterkopf mountain, four of whom died and one was seriously injured, while another female ski tourer was buried and killed in open alpine terrain.

Later in the day, three Czech skiers were killed after being buried by an avalanche in Pusterwald, about 110 km from Salzburg. Emergency crews were able to partially dig out the victims, but all three were pronounced dead despite immediate rescue efforts. Other avalanches in the region were reported on Saturday, but no additional injuries were recorded.

The fatalities follow a particularly deadly week across the Alps. Neighboring Switzerland and France also reported multiple avalanche-related deaths, including six skiers in France, a 58-year-old skier in western Austria, and a 13-year-old Czech boy in Austria’s Bad Gastein resort. In Switzerland, one German man was killed and four others injured while cross-country skiing. Authorities continue to warn of dangerous conditions throughout the region.

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Europe Stands Firm as Trump Threatens Greenland Tariffs

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Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared that “Europe won’t be blackmailed” in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs over Greenland. Trump warned that eight U.S. allies—including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the U.K.—would face new taxes starting February 1 if they opposed his proposed acquisition of the autonomous Danish territory. European leaders emphasized the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity, issuing joint statements in solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

Trump has justified his actions by citing Greenland’s strategic significance for U.S. security, and he has not ruled out acquiring it “the easy way” or “the hard way.” The threatened tariffs start at 10% and could increase to 25% until a deal is reached. European nations and NATO members, including the U.K., France, and Germany, condemned the coercive approach, stressing that the Arctic’s security is a shared transatlantic interest and that dialogue should be based on respect for sovereignty.

Public opposition in Denmark and Greenland has been strong, with protests calling for Greenland’s right to self-determination. Polls indicate that both Greenlanders and Americans largely oppose U.S. control of the island. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German officials, are coordinating their responses and preparing contingency measures, including invoking EU anti-coercion instruments if the tariffs are implemented.

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Novo’s Wegovy Weight-Loss Pill Shows Strong Early Momentum Against Lilly

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Novo Nordisk’s newly launched Wegovy weight-loss pill has shown encouraging early uptake in the United States, according to analysts citing initial prescription data. About 3,071 retail prescriptions were filled in the first four days after the January 5 launch, offering a first glimpse of performance for the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss drug to reach the market. Following the news, Novo’s shares rose 6.5%, recovering from earlier declines and reaching their highest level since September.

The pill is a key part of Novo’s strategy to regain ground from U.S. rival Eli Lilly, as competition intensifies ahead of a potential FDA decision on Lilly’s experimental pill by April. Analysts caution that the early data is limited and that pricing pressures and insurance coverage changes could affect sales. However, UBS noted that if prescriptions exceed 400,000 in the first quarter, the launch would rival Lilly’s Zepbound and outperform the earlier rollout of Wegovy injections.

Novo is prioritizing the U.S. launch to avoid supply issues and is targeting cash-paying consumers through major pharmacies and telehealth platforms. Analysts estimate the pill could generate around $1 billion in sales this year if Novo capitalizes on its first-mover advantage. While injectable treatments are expected to remain dominant, experts say oral options could significantly expand the market by attracting patients seeking alternatives to needles.

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Germany Returns Nazi-Stolen Bayeux Tapestry Fragments to France

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Germany has returned two small fragments of the Bayeux Tapestry to France, more than eight decades after they were taken during the Nazi occupation in 1941. The pieces of unembroidered linen were discovered in the state archives of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, where historians were reviewing the collection of German textile expert Karl Schlabow, who is believed to have removed them while researching the tapestry under a Nazi-led project.

Archivists identified the fragments during a 2023 inventory, finding them preserved on a glass plate along with documents that helped trace their origin to the Bayeux Tapestry. Rainer Hering, head of the archive, said it was “obvious” the fragments had to be returned, and formally handed them over to the mayor of Bayeux on Thursday. The fragments are thought to have been taken from the underside of the famous embroidery, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

The return comes amid renewed attention on the 11th-century tapestry, which is scheduled to be displayed at the British Museum in September under a loan agreement between France and the UK. The move has sparked controversy, with critics warning the fragile artefact should not travel. Despite concerns raised by artists and historians, the British Museum has pledged to safeguard the tapestry, which is insured for £800 million and has been listed on Unesco’s “Memory of the World” register since 2007.

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Ukraine Sends Delegation to US for Security Guarantees, Recovery Talks

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Ukraine has sent a high-level delegation to the United States for talks focused on security guarantees and a post-war recovery package, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday. He expressed hope that the agreements could be finalised and signed on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos next week. The discussions come as Ukraine seeks firm commitments to prevent any future Russian aggression once the war ends.

Zelenskiy said Kyiv also wants greater clarity from Washington on Russia’s position toward U.S.-backed diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict. While noting progress in negotiations with the U.S., he acknowledged differences on certain issues. Ukrainian officials estimate the country will need around $800 billion for post-war reconstruction, and Zelenskiy said Ukraine has completed its part of the work on a proposed “prosperity package” to unlock recovery funding.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Olga Stefanishyna, said senior officials, including the head of the presidential office and top security leaders, will hold bilateral talks in Miami to refine the agreements. Zelenskiy accused Russia of stalling peace efforts, citing continued strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and renewed calls for increased air defence support, warning that shortages of ammunition have already left parts of the power grid vulnerable.

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Czech Republic Shuts Its Last Deep Coal Mine, Ending 250-Year Legacy

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The Czech Republic is set to close its last deep hard coal mine at the end of January, marking the end of more than 250 years of underground coal mining in the Ostrava region. Final extraction is underway at the CSM mine in Stonava near the Polish border, as low global coal prices, rising mining costs and Europe’s green transition have made deep mining economically unviable. The shutdown brings to a close an industry that once powered Central Europe’s industrial growth.

State-owned miner OKD had planned to shut the mine earlier, but soaring energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine temporarily extended operations. However, kilometre-deep shafts and increasing operational costs proved unsustainable. For miners, the closure carries emotional weight, ending generations of underground work that shaped the region’s identity and economy. OKD now employs about 2,300 workers, with further job cuts expected in the coming months.

Once an industrial powerhouse employing over 100,000 miners, the Ostrava basin has been reshaped by decades of mine closures. While unemployment remains above the national average, retraining programmes, foreign investment and EU support have helped stabilise the region. Backed by funding from the EU’s Just Transition programme, OKD is planning a post-coal future that includes energy storage, data infrastructure and alternative power projects, signalling a shift from underground mining to new above-ground industries.

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Nobel Committee Says Prize Stays with Laureate Even if Medal Is Given Away

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The Nobel Peace Prize remains permanently tied to the individual or organisation that wins it, even if the physical medal is given away, the Norwegian Nobel Committee clarified on Friday. The statement came a day after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado handed her Nobel medal to U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said he plans to keep it. The committee stressed that the honour and recognition of the prize cannot be transferred.

According to the Nobel Committee, while the medal, diploma and prize money are tangible items, the Nobel Prize itself is an immutable historical record. Machado’s award also includes a diploma and prize money of 11 million Swedish crowns. The committee noted that there are no rules restricting what laureates may do with these items, meaning they are free to keep, donate, sell or give them away.

However, the committee emphasised that the identity of the laureate never changes. Regardless of the fate of the medal or other components, the original recipient remains recorded as the Nobel laureate. Citing past examples, the committee noted that previous winners have donated or sold their medals, including Nobel laureates who used them for political gestures or humanitarian fundraising, without altering the official status of the prize.

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