Europe

PARIS (AP) — Global powers warned Friday that the American airstrike responsible for killing Iran’s top general made the world more dangerous and that escalation could set the entire Mideast aflame. Some U.S. allies suggested Iran shared in the blame by provoking the attack.

The deaths of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and several associates drew immediate cries for revenge from Tehran and a chorus of appeals from other countries seeking reduced tensions between Iran and the United States.

MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/: US strikes in Syria and Iraq could be an issue for discussion by the UN Security Council, Chairman of the Russian State Duma (lower house) Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky told TASS on Friday commenting on the murder of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq.

MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/: Russian Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Prime Minister of Libya’s Interim Government based in the east of the country, Abdullah al-Thani, have discussed the developments in that country over the phone, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Friday.

MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/: The United States first carried out a missile strike against Baghdad airport and only then requested the UN Security Council’s assessment of the attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. This is the height of cynicism, Rusian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Rossiya 24 TV channel on Friday.

MINSK, January 3. /TASS/: Russia has stopped oil supplies to Belarus, two oil refineries in the country continue to operate, but their capacity has been reduced to the minimum acceptable level, a source in Belneftekhim Concern informed TASS on Friday.

"Russian oil is not delivered. The capacity of oil refineries has been reduced to the minimum technologically permissible level," the source said.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Ryanair (RYA.I) may only receive its first delivery of the grounded 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing (BA.N) in October, chief executive Michael O’Leary said in an interview with German magazine Wirtschaftswoche.

The 737 MAX, Boeing’s fastest-selling aircraft, has not flown since last March following two crashes which claimed 346 lives. O’Leary told Reuters last month that Ryanair may not receive any MAX aircraft in time for its summer season.

LONDON (Reuters) - British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab on Friday urged all parties to de-escalate after the United States killed Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani.

“We have always recognized the aggressive threat posed by the Iranian Quds force led by Qasem Soleimani. Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests,” he said in an emailed statement.

ATHENS, Jan 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — Greece, Cyprus, and Israel signed here an intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) natural gas pipeline which is to be linking the region’s gas reserves to Greece and the rest of Europe.

The energy ministers of the three countries signed the agreement in a ceremony held at Zappeion exhibition hall in the presence of the prime ministers of Greece and Israel, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Benjamin Netanyahu, and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

ATHENS, Jan 3 (NNN-CNA) — In a joint statement, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have denounced Turkey’s decision to deploy military troops in Libya.

The three Heads of State said the decision marked a dangerous escalation of the current conflict in Libya, while violating relevant United Nations resolutions, Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported.

ATHENS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Greece, Cyprus, and Israel signed here on Thursday an intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) natural gas pipeline which is to be linking the region's gas reserves to Greece and the rest of Europe.

The energy ministers of the three countries signed the agreement in a ceremony held at Zappeion exhibition hall in the presence of the prime ministers of Greece and Israel, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Benjamin Netanyahu, and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.