You are ahead by a (half) century: Belarus to Russia on food safety

Allegations of the poor quality of Belarusian foodstuffs are groundless, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss the measures to remove the ban on the import of Belarusian products to Russia and the transit of embargoed food, BelTA has learned.

ahead.by.a.century“If we ask Belarusians or Russians which products are safer – Belarusian or Russian ones – the question will make them laugh. With all due respect to Russia, they are 50 years behind Belarus in terms of food safety,” the Belarusian leader said.

“Why whip up tensions, create problems in this situation?” the head of state wondered. In his words, at the start of 2014, before Russia’s embargo, Belarus and the Russian Federation had agreed on the amount of the Belarusian food supplies. “As for today, with the year 2014 coming to a close, we have not yet supplied the agreed amount of food in full. 

Vomit forces teenage tennis star out of Australian Open

I always have something on the television as background while working on my laptop.  And at this time of year, the Australian Open brings a reminder of the warmth that may some day return to the Northern Hemisphere.

When the announcer said, “This is painful to watch,” I immediately looked at the television. There was teenage tennis sensation Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, wobbling, though leading in her match against Serena Williams.

Azarenka had been vomiting all morning, because of a virus, and she did not feel much better when she got to the court. … She ended up retiring through illness and shuffled off the Rod Laver Arena with an assistant supporting her on either arm (right, photo by EPA). …

At one stage, it seemed as though she was going to be sick into her cupped hands, and she repeatedly sought out the shaded areas in the stadium between points. She also looked off-balance and almost unable to grip the handle of her racket. She had little choice but to quit against the American.

No word on the type or source of what was thought to be a viral infection.