Sergei Lavrov dismissed suggestions that Nagorno-Karabakh be annexed to Russia and said that the status issue needs to be resolved between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Lavrov indicated that there will be a role for the OSCE Minsk Group in resolving the status problem. Lavrov was speaking at the annual marathon new year press conference where he reviewed the work of his ministry in 2020.

A statement posted on the EEAS website said that Josep Borrell reaffirmed the commitment of the EU to strengthen political association and economic integration with the Republic of Moldova by working in close partnership, on the basis of the ambitious Association Agreement.

Fighting broke out in Hodeidah province on Yemen's west coast between pro-government forces and Houthis forces on Sunday. Sources suggest that fighting started as early on Saturday and escalated the following day with the use of heavy weapons. 

There has been widespread international condemnation after the Russian authorities arrested opposition politician Alexei Navalny when on Sunday he returned back to Moscow after receiving medical treatment in Germany. Mr Navalny, 44, was detained by police at Moscow Sheremetyevo airport soon after his flight from Germany landed.

Clashes erupted in Sudan's Darfur region leading to at least 32 deaths. Sudanese authorities imposed a full curfew in the province. There are at least 79 others who are wounded. 

Hind al-Zahid, undersecretary for women’s empowerment at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said a “Saudi woman assuming a position of judge is very soon. There are initiatives on several levels.”

The European Union has suspended its budget support for Ethiopia due to the worsening humanitarian crisis following the military campaign in Tigray region. The suspension of the support will be in place until humanitarian agencies are granted access to people in need of aid in the northern Tigray region. The support package amounts to 88 million euro.