MOSCOW, 29 December 2021, (TON): The possible participation of the European Union in Russia’s negotiations with the US and NATO on security guarantees would have no added value.

This was stated at an online briefing by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the EU Vladimir Chizhov.

“It has no definite added value,” he said, answering the question whether the EU’s participation in these negotiations is expedient.

Chizhov explained that the EU is not a military bloc, so the Russian proposals are addressed specifically to NATO, which includes many EU countries.

The diplomat said “the main content of our proposals is issues of tough security. The issue of non-deployment of medium and shorter-range missiles – does the European Union deploy them? The European Union is not a military bloc.”

“We are not against the supportive role of the European Union in these organizations (NATO and OSCE – TASS note). Moreover, I would be glad to see the collective contribution of the EU countries, which are NATO members, to the common position of NATO,” Chizhov stressed. on the basis of our proposals to become a military bloc is probably not included in our plans either. “

The European Union itself needs to take the first step to break the deadlock in Russian-EU relations, into which it has driven itself, Chizhov noted. The diplomat described the prospects for overcoming the crisis in relations between Russia and the European Union as bright.

DAMASCUS, 29 December 2021, (TON): Syrian state media reported “Israel launched an air strike on the Syrian port of Latakia, setting ablaze the container storage area and damaging nearby buildings in a second attack on the facility this month.”

An Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment.

The spokesperson said "we don't comment on foreign reports.”

The Syrian reports made no mention of any casualties.

Israel has mounted frequent attacks against what it says are Iranian targets in Syria, where Tehran-backed forces including Lebanon's Hezbollah have deployed over the last decade in support of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war.

Citing a military source, Syrian state news agency said Israel had carried out the air strike targeting the container storage area at 3.21 a.m. (0121 GMT), causing a fire and leading to "big material damages".

KUWAIT, 29 December 2021, (TON): State media reported that Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah approved the formation of a new cabinet with the appointment of Abdul Wahab Al-Rasheed as minister of finance and the reappointment of oil minister Mohammad al-Fares.”

VIENNA, 29 December 2021, (TON): Iran said “nuclear talks that resumed in Vienna should focus on lifting sanctions on the Islamic republic and “guarantees” that the US will return to the fold.”

Negotiations to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal restarted in late November, after a five-month hiatus following the election of ultraconservative Iran President Ebrahim Raisi.

The talks seek to bring back the United States, after it withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then president Donald Trump and began imposing sanctions on Iran.

Iran has reported progress in the talks, but European diplomats have warned they are “rapidly reaching the end of the road”.

US negotiator Rob Malley has said there are only “weeks” left to revive the deal, if Iran continues its current pace of nuclear activities.

Alain Matton, spokesman for the EU, which is chairing the discussions, wrote on Twitter “the 8th round of the Vienna Talks just started.”

MOGADISHU, 29 December 2021, (TON): Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed said “he had suspended the powers of the prime minister amid a corruption probe in what the assistant information minister said amounted to an indirect coup.”

He said “Mohamed accused Roble of looting public land owned by the Somali National Army and of interfering with a defense ministry investigation. All other ministers would continue with their duties.”

Roble was not immediately available for comment. But the government spokesperson, Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, said on Facebook the president’s action was unconstitutional.

He said “the prime minister would continue with his duties.”

Mohamed and Prime Minister Mohammed Hussein Roble each accused the other of holding up ongoing parliamentary elections in a dispute analysts say may distract the government from its fight against the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgency Al-Shabab.

Mohamed also said he had removed the commander of marine forces, General Abdihamid Mohamed Dirir, from office while a similar investigation was being carried out.

CAIRO, 29 December 2021, (TON): The head of the Arab League has criticized Israel's announcement to expand its settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the secretary-general of the pan-Arab organisation, said “the Israeli plans to expand its settlements were a flagrant violation of international law, which recognises the Golan Heights as Syrian territory that fell under Israeli occupation in the 1967 war.”

Aboul Gheit also said that the fact that some countries would recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Syrian plateau did not change the “reality” that it is an occupied territory.

He highlighted that Syria's territorial integrity is not subject to compromise irrespective of the current developments in Syria and its status in the Arab League.

Israel's cabinet approved a blueprint on Sunday to build some 7,300 additional housing units on the strategic plateau in a move that could tighten its hold on the territory.

Syrian state media reported “Syria on Monday also condemned Israeli plans in the Golan Heights as a “dangerous and unprecedented escalation.”

BRUSSELS, 29 December 2021, (TON): NATO said “nearly 80% of NATO fighter jet missions across Europe were launched in response to Russian military aircraft flights in 2021.”

The military alliance announced in a press statement “NATO fighter jets scrambled around 370 times across Europe in 2021, mostly to check aircraft flying unannounced near Allied air space.”

According to NATO, 290 of the missions, which is 80% of the total deployments, were launched in response to flights by Russian military aircraft.

NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu commented on the announcement “NATO fighter jets are on duty around the clock, ready to take off in case of unverified flights near the airspace of our Allies.”

Most of the unverified flights, unannounced military flights or civilian aircraft losing communication with air controllers, were intercepted in the Baltic region.

The statement added “only a very few intercepted flights could actually enter the airspace controlled by NATO since the jets identified them and escorted them out.”

RIYADH, 29 December 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s cabinet approved a law of evidence to develop the Kingdom’s legislative system.

Saudi Press Agency reported “Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the law of evidence is the first of four previously announced draft reform bills to be approved.”

The other three draft laws are the personal status law, the civil transactions law, and the penal code for discretionary sanctions.

The personal status law will be approved in the first quarter of 2022, and the remaining two draft laws will follow suit after they have been studied by the cabinet and the Shoura Council.

The crown prince said “the law of evidence will achieve a major qualitative leap in the judicial legislation system and establish principles based on firm references in judicial work.”

Prince Mohammed thanked King Salman for his constant support for the development of the legislative system which “contributes to raising its quality and enhancing the performance of justice agencies, considering that these systems are essential pillars in achieving transparency and justice.”

The crown prince said “the law of evidence meets the requirements of developments in social, economic, and technical aspects of life.”

KABUL, 29 December 2021, (TON): The World Food Program (WFP) is assisting with food more than 100,000 needy families in western Farah province.

The WFP representative in the province said “the aid is being provided through an organisation called Fradata.”

Habibullah Amiri said “at the inauguration of a training programme for 42 Fradata workers, who will manage the distribution of food aid, that facilities and aid would be made available to the institute in a timely manner.”

Khadir Rahim Himmat, head of Fradata institute, told Pajhwok food items would be distributed to 100,000 eligible families after the completion of a survey in coordination with local scholars and influential people.

The items to be distributed include flour, rice, peas, beans, ghee and food supplements for malnourished children and pregnant women.

He pointed out that the aid distribution process would begin on January 1, 2022 and would take six months to complete.

KABUL, 29 December 2021, (TON): According to a statement “the acting cabinet has directed the Ministry of Interior to create task forces in provinces for prevention of the use of foreign currencies.”

During its 16th meeting, the cabinet formed Disaster Management Commission under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Abdul GhaniBeradar.

The meeting also discussed matters related to Da Afghanistan BreshnaShirkat arrears, money exchange services and companies, celebration of revenue collection week and determining the fate of seized vehicles and assets.

The cabinet tasked a delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salaam Hanfi to monitor the distribution of land in Kabul Industrial Park. Similar delegation headed by Energy Minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansour was tasked with monitoring matters related to Kandahar Industrial Park.

Government Deputy Spokesperson EnamullahSamangani on his twitter account wrote that the responsibility for developing an Islamic Banking strategy was handed over to a delegation headed by the Sciences Academy Head.