SANAA, 22 January 2022, (TON): At least 70 people were killed in an air strike on a prison and at least three children died in a separate bombardment as Yemen’s long-running conflict suffered a dramatic escalation of violence.

The Huthi rebels released gruesome video footage showing bodies in the rubble and mangled corpses from the prison attack, which levelled buildings at the jail in their northern heartland of Saada.

Further south in the port city of Hodeida, the children died when air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition hit a telecommunications facility as they played nearby, Save the Children said. Yemen also suffered a country-wide internet blackout.

Save the Children said “the children were reportedly playing on a nearby football field when missiles struck.”

The UN Human Rights Office said the reports of intensifying coalition air strikes on populated areas were deeply shocking.

BERLIN, 22 January 2022, (TON): The United States and its allies warned Moscow of grave consequences if “any” of the tens of thousands of troops massed on the border were to cross the border into Ukraine.

Following talks with Germany, France and Britain, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underlined that Russia cannot match Western power’s resoluteness.

In a show of that unity, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking alongside Blinken, said the West would not shy away from taking action even if that included measures that “could have economic consequences for ourselves”.

Separately in London, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia marching on Ukraine “on any scale whatever would be a disaster not just for Ukraine but for Russia”.

“It would be a disaster for the world,” he told reporters, saying he stands “four-square” behind Ukraine’s sovereignty.

BERLIN, 22 January 2022, (TON): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and European allies insisted it was still possible to revive the Iran nuclear deal but said “time is running out”, after talks in Berlin.

Blinken told reporters that negotiators working in Vienna to salvage the 2015 accord with Tehran had seen modest progress in the last couple weeks but were taking nothing for granted.

Blinken said “my own assessment, talking to all of our colleagues, is that returning to mutual compliance, it remains possible.”

Speaking at a joint news conference, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said “urgent progress” was needed in talks aimed at rescuing the deal.

She said “the window for finding a solution is closing.”

“The negotiations are in a decisive phase. We need urgent, urgent progress, otherwise we will not be successful in reaching a joint accord.”

WASHINGTON, 22 January 2022, (TON): US President Joe Biden said that he withdrew his troops from Afghanistan because it’s not possible to unify the war-torn country under one single government.

At a White House news conference, Mr Biden also said that the United States was spending a billion dollars a week in Afghanistan for 20 years and could not afford to do so indefinitely.

The Biden administration started pulling out troops from Afghanistan in August last year, leaving behind a vacuum, filled by the Taliban. Taliban troops entered Kabul on Aug 15 and replaced the US-backed government with their own.

Since then Taliban have ignored US appeals to include other political forces into the government and to protect the rights of Afghan women and religious minorities guaranteed in the US-backed Afghan constitution.

President Biden while responding to his government’s alleged incompetence said “let’s take Afghanistan. I know you all would like to focus on that, which is legitimate.”

He said “raise your hand if you think anyone was going to be able to unify Afghanistan under one single government.”

“It’s been the graveyard of empires for a solid reason: It is not susceptible to unity.”

TOKYO, 22 January 2022, (TON): Face-to-face talks between the leaders of Japan, the United States, India and Australia are planned to be held on Japanese territory in the first half of this year.

the head of the Japanese government, Fumio Kishida said “following the results of negotiations with US President Joe Biden, held in the format of a videoconference.”

He said “the Quad summit is planned to be held in Japan in the first half of this year.”

According to the head of government, during the talks with Biden, they discussed, in particular, issues of Japanese-American cooperation aimed at implementing the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the situation in the East China and South China seas, the state of affairs in Hong Kong, the problem with human rights in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the PRC, as well as the nuclear missile program of the DPRK.

Kishida added “I also spoke about our new national security strategy and expressed my intention to greatly enhance Japan’s defense capabilities.”

DUBAI, 22 January 2022, (TON): Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation subsidiary Nawah has signed an agreement with European nuclear services provider CERAP to provide technical services to support refuelling outages and online operations at the Barakah nuclear power plant.

Enec said “CERAP and its shareholder ENDEL are determined to share their expertise and support the development of the UAE’s nuclear supply chain.”

Risk prevention and radiation protection management specialist CERAP last year established an Abu Dhabi-based subsidiary, NÜSAM.

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) said “Nawah Energy Company has signed an agreement with CERAP S.A to provide technical services to support refueling outages and online operations at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant.”

WASHINGTON, 22 January 2022, (TON): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after talks with Russia's foreign minister on Friday that Moscow would face a swift, severe and a united response, if it invades Ukraine.

Blinken said “after the talks in Geneva that Washington had agreed to provide written comments to Russia after Moscow demanded security guarantees, including a pledge that Ukraine will never be able to join NATO.”

He described talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, intended to reduce tensions that have risen since Russia massed troops near Ukraine's border, as frank and useful.

Blinken told a news conference in Geneva "we've been clear - if any Russian military forces move across Ukraine's border, that's a renewed invasion. It will be met with swift, severe and a united response from the United States and our partners and allies.”

BEIJING, 22 January 2022, (TON): The protest in Kazakhstan showed China the risks for investment. Now the Celestial Empire will have to take into account the internal problems of Kazakhstan.

If the CSTO has shaken the principle of independence of Chinese investments in Kazakhstan, then only Beijing’s policy is to blame.

Until recently, the PRC preferred to stay on the sidelines while the Kazakh cities were overwhelmed by protests. After the introduction of the peacekeeping contingent of the united states in Beijing, they realized that the One Belt. One Road project depended on the will of Russia.

Moscow is the only guarantor of security for Kazakhstan. Whether China will be able to maintain its position in the neighboring republic with the help of capital investments is not known.

Kazakhstan supplies China with oil, gas, rare earth metals and even uranium. The crisis in Kazakhstan has undermined the old trade relations with China. This is confirmed by the arrest of the head of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Karim Massimov. He was previously the main lobbyist for Chinese interests.

LONDON, 22 January 2022, (TON): Kensington Palace has announced that Britain’s Prince William will visit Dubai next month as part of Expo 2020’s UK National Day.

The Duke of Cambridge will travel to the UAE on Feb. 10 at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

His trip, which coincides with the UAE marking its 50th year, will be his first to the emirates and his first major overseas visit since a 2019 tour of the Middle East.

The palace statement said “the bond between the UK and the UAE is deep and strong and Prince William’s visit will highlight and build upon these links as he has the opportunity to engage with young Emiratis, leaders from government and committed conservationists.”

WASHINGTON, 22 January 2022, (TON): A Muslim-American advocacy group said “any Pentagon official directly involved in a botched airstrike in Afghanistan last year should resign, including US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also called for the resignation of any military officials who had a direct role in approving the drone strike that killed 10 civilians in August.

The demand came a day after the Pentagon released a video of the attack.

CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said the video shows "the Pentagon launched a reckless attack that was guaranteed to kill innocent people in a densely-packed neighbourhood".

Mitchell said "this attack was not simply an honest mistake or a rare occurrence; it was the latest in a long line of reckless drone strikes that have killed innocent people at homes, weddings and funerals in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere.”

He added "any Pentagon leaders who played a direct role in approving the horrific massacre of these innocent people including seven children should take responsibility by stepping down. If Secretary Austin was directly involved in approving the strike, he should resign.”

The Defence Department ruled out any punishment to US soldiers involved in the drone strike, which triggered global condemnation.