We are aware of recent information regarding the serious mistreatment of detained human rights lawyers Li Heping, Wang Quangzhang and Xie Yang. If verified, this mistreatment would amount to torture.

The priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by Maltese ministers at a series of meetings taking place in January.

To honour the upcoming International Holocaust Remembrance Day, MEPs held a ceremony in the Parliament on Wednesday together with representatives from Jewish communities in Europe and other dignitaries. Referring to the Holocaust as "the worst tragedy in European history", Parliament President Antonio Tajani said: “Remembering is not only an act of commemoration. It is a crucial process if we want to avoid repeating the same errors.”

The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which aims to boost goods and services trade and investment flows, was approved by the International Trade Committee on Tuesday. The full House is to vote on the deal in February.

On 23 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Darius Skusevičius represented Lithuania at the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) meeting of Foreign Ministers in Barcelona, which discussed the organization’s guidelines for future activities.

The European Commission is further mobilising the instruments at its disposal to provide relief to the farming communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Italy by allowing greater flexibility in the implementation of several measures with immediate financial effect.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė congratulated Donald Trump on assuming the office of President of the United States of America.

High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini co-chairs the Second Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius sent a letter of condolence to the Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano following the earthquake that struck central Italy on 18 January and after an avalanche buried a mountain hotel in Abruzzo region.

MEPs elected Antonio Tajani as Parliament president on 17 January and on 18 January voted for who they wanted as vice-presidents and quaestors for the second half of the parliamentary term. Check out infographic to find out who was chosen for Parliament's key posts.