BRUSSELS, 12 January 2022, (TON): The election of the new President of the European Parliament (EP) will be held on January 18 during a plenary session in Strasb-ourg.

This was reported by the European Parliament press service after the President of the European Institute David Sassoli died on Tuesday night at the age of 65.

The press service said in a statement “as originally anticipated, before the sudden death of Sassoli, the election of a new chairman for a second term will take place on January 18 during a plenary session in Strasbourg.”

In the meantime, the functions of the head of the European Parliament are temporarily transferred to the first deputy chairman of the European Institute, Roberta Metsole.

David Sassoli on Monday was hospitalized in the Italian city of Aviano due to severe complications associated with impaired functioning of the immune system. In September, he also spent some time in the hospital due to pneumonia, but then the test for coronavirus, which he passed during hospitalization, turned out to be negative.

CAIRO, 12 January 2022, (TON): Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly discussed the transfer of Egyptian gas to Lebanon on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh.

According to a statement by Egypt’s government “they also discussed increasing bilateral trade and ways to achieve electrical interconnection between the two countries so as to supply Lebanon with electricity.”

Madbouly informed Mikati about preparations for medical and food aid to be shipped to Lebanon.

During his meeting with Mikati on the forum’s sidelines, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi expressed full support to the work of the Lebanese government in meeting the aspirations of its people and carrying out necessary reforms.

MINSK, 12 January 2022, (TON): The Belarusian Defense Ministry said “Russian and Belarusian pilots conducted another joint patrol.”

The ministry’s Telegram channel said “Belarusian and Russian pilots carry out tasks of joint patrolling of the air borders of the Union State on multipurpose Su-30SM fighters.”

Moscow and Minsk decided to increase the composition of the air defense duty forces and more often fly around the state border due to the increased frequency of flights of various types of aviation near the borders of Belarus.

This is necessary to prevent violations of the border in the airspace, the Belarusian Defense Ministry explained.

The ministry also noted the growth of military activity in neighboring EU states. In particular, Poland has increased the number of security forces due to the emergence of a spontaneous camp of Middle Eastern refugees on the Belarusian-Polish border.

RIYADH, 12 January 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Fahad Abualnasr met the EU’s ambassador to the Kingdom Patrick Simonnet. They reviewed bilateral relations and issues of common interest during the meeting.

EU seeks to further boost strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf partners on global, regional and bilateral matters of common interest.

This includes climate change, global access to vaccines and supporting the green economy.

BRUSSELS, 12 January 2022, (TON): In 2020, 13 EU Member States with nuclear electricity production generated 683 512 GWh of nuclear electricity. This accounts for almost 25% of the EU’s total electricity production.

The largest producer of nuclear power in the EU was France (52% of the EU total nuclear energy production; 353 833 GWh), followed by Germany (9%; 64 382 GWh), Spain (9%; 58 299 GWh) and Sweden (7%; 49 198 GWh).

These four countries together accounted for more than three quarters of the total amount of electricity generated in nuclear facilities in the EU.

At the beginning of 2020, 13 EU Member States with nuclear electricity production had altogether 109 nuclear reactors in operation.

In the course of 2020, three nuclear reactors permanently shut down – two in France and one in Sweden. Nevertheless, France remained the EU Member State most reliant on nuclear electricity, which represented 67% of all electricity generated in the country in 2020.

RIYADH, 12 January 2022, (TON): Saudi Press Agency reported “Saudi Arabia’s King Salman received a written message from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.”

The letter dealt with “the strong and solid relations that bind the two countries and peoples, and ways to support and enhance them in various fields and at all levels.”

The message was received by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan during a meeting with his Algerian counterpart Ramdane Lamamra in the capital, Riyadh.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them in various fields, in addition to exchanging views on regional and international issues of common interest.

WASHINGTON, 12 January 2022, (TON): US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan noted “the productivity of the Russian-American talks on security guarantees that took place on January 10 in Geneva.”

He said in an interview “the discussion [in Geneva] revolved around issues, some of which were not previously covered in the discussion of the dialogue on strategic stability. But, as I said, it was a productive discussion.”

The diplomat also denied the assertion that the negotiations are a failure. “No, not at all,” Sullivan emphasized. “

It the failure may come, but I don’t feel like this is the direction we’re heading in right now.”

Sullivan also said that the principle of admitting new countries to NATO cannot be revised.

He said “revised? No, it’s a principle that has stood the test of time since the North Atlantic Treaty was adopted in 1949.”

Sullivan said that the decision to expand the alliance is made only by NATO members and the country seeking to join the union, and this is the West’s response to Moscow’s proposal not to admit new member states to NATO.

WASHINGTON, 12 January 2022, (TON): US intelligence agencies have issued a set of guidelines to counter suspected Russian hackers, urging cybersecurity structures to remain vigilant and actively monitor threats.

A technical report from the FBI , the National Security Agency and the CISA (Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency) lists the hacking techniques allegedly sponsored by Russia , the most high-profile attacks and suggests ways to reduce vulnerabilities.

The publication said “the CISA, FBI and NSA are calling on the cybersecurity community, especially those responsible for protecting critical infrastructure networks, to maintain a state of high alert and to proactively hunt for threats.”

Departments, in particular, advise to timely update software, use anti-virus programs, use multi-stage systems for confirming the identity of users, and have elaborate plans in case of cyberattacks. The document provides a technical description of the cyber means allegedly used by these hackers.

The topic of threats in cyberspace acquired particular relevance in the United States in 2021. A number of large companies have been targeted by cyberattacks.

KABUL, 12 January 2022, (TON): Mawlavi Hadayatullah Badri, acting minister of finance met Mr. Wafa Khadzhiev, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan.

In the meeting, both sides discussed and exchanged views related to expansion of bilateral relations and practical work on TAPI project as soon as possible.

In the meeting also the two sides discussed about investments of project funded by Turkmenistan with a cost of $588 million, technical issues and acquisition of land and mutual agreements for traveling technical team to Afghanistan to review technical issues and land acquisition of the project after 20 January.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance praised Turkmen delegation, said “Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) is a necessary and important project for Afghanistan and regional countries and both countries aspect certain results of the project.”

He added “the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is fully committed to take practical steps towards implementation of the project.”

KABUL, 12 January 2022, (TON): Acting Foreign Minister Amir Kahn Muttaqi said that the new government is exercising power over the whole country, and the Islamic Emirate-led government will not pose a threat to any country in the world. He said that the political isolation of Afghanistan is not in the interest of anyone.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, who was talking with Afghan citizens in the United States in a video conference, said the government has pledged to not allow foreign countries to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, and that Afghanistan will open a new chapter of good governance and relations with neighbors and regional and world countries.

Muttaqi told the participants of the conference “we seek positive and constructive relations with our neighbors, region and the world. We want positive interaction based on mutual respect with all nations.”

Referring to the fall of Kabul in mid-August, Muttaqi said that Islamic Emirate forces sought to enter Kabul through dialogue but the security organization of the previous administration ran away and created a power vacuum in Kabul, so Kabul residents requested Islamic Emirate forces to enter and maintain security.

He said “we sought to enter Kabul city through dialogue and understanding, but as the head, and security organs of the previous administration chose to run away and a power vacuum gripped Kabul, public figures and residents of Kabul requested our forces to enter the city and establish security.”