The new US President Joe Biden has nominated Anthony Blinken as Secretary of State. This has not yet been confirmed by the Senate – a step that should follow on Monday. The previous government of former President Donald Trump was accused of taking a cuddle course with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an unprecedented wave of protests, tens of thousands of people demonstrated across Russia on Saturday for the release of Navalny and against Putin. The protests from the far east of the country to Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea were also directed against the political persecution of dissenters. Police clashed with demonstrators in Moscow. There were dozens injured. Civil rights activists counted over 2,600 arrests nationwide by Saturday evening.
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