EUROPE DIPLOMATIC

Soleimani: lethal record & impact

MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking from the Senate floor after the US-Qataris airstrike in Baghdad, described top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani as a “terrorist mastermind who operated without constraint”. “Soleimani made it his life’s work to take the Iranian revolutionary call for death to America and death to Israel and turned…

Iraq: Borrell calls for restraint

“The current cycle of violence in Iraq must be stopped before it spirals out of control. The EU calls on all the actors involved and on those partners who can have an influence to exercise maximum restraint and show responsibility in this crucial moment. Another crisis risks jeopardizing years of efforts to stabilise Iraq. Furthermore,…

Soleimani assassination stirs tensions

Top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was assassinated on December 3 in a US pointed strike on Baghdad’s international airport in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries. VIDEO: 🇮🇷 Top Iranian commander Qasem #Soleimani was killed on Friday in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport in a dramatic escalation of tensions between…

Russia-Belarus oil supply halt

Russia has stopped oil supplies to Belarus, resulting in reduced two oil refineries operations to the minimum acceptable level, a source in Belneftekhim Concern informed Russian TASS News agency on December 3. Russia halts oil supplies to Belarushttps://t.co/ODF8ZGsktV pic.twitter.com/KpAAzkFJK3 — TASS (@tassagency_en) January 3, 2020 “Russian oil is not delivered. The capacity of oil refineries…

Krefeld Zoo apes cremated alive

The monkeys at Krefeld Zoo in Germany were burnt live in the fire in their shelter on the Saint-Sylvestre night December 31- January 1, zoo management announced. (Image: illustration) “Our worst fears have come true,” wrote the zoo on its Facebook page. According to local police, more than 30 monkeys have died. 'No surviving animals'…

Putin thanks Trump for counter-terrorism cooperation

Vladimir Putin called to Donald Trump to thank him for what White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said was “information the United States provided that helped foil a potential holiday terrorist attack in Russia.” Trump says Putin "called to thank me" for US tip that helped stop planned terrorist attack https://t.co/R9VrcTlC62 pic.twitter.com/imB3PyLqN9 — The Hill (@thehill)…

Iraq milita protests at US Embassyш

Reportedly the protesters, among which the majority are the militia fighters, enraged by U.S. air strikes on Iraq staged a violent demonstration outside the American Embassy in Baghdad at New Year eve, setting ablaze a security post and hurling stones as security forces. The embassy guards retaliated with stun grenades and tear gas. The attackers…

EU welcomes Ukraine exchange of prisoners

“A significant exchange of detainees took place following an agreement reached by the Trilateral Contact Group” reads the statement of the European External Action Service on exchange of detainees between Kiev and sefl-proclaimed Republics of Donetsk and Lughansk. Today’s exchange of detainees in #Ukraine is a welcome example of implementation of one of the measures…

Kiev and Donbass exchange prisoners

Kiev is exchanging dozens of prisoners with the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics in the first time in two years. The swap is a direct result of the recent Normandy Four talks in Paris, hosted by President Macron. The Donetsk authorities has handed over 51 people to Kiev, while receiving 61. The Lugansk region returned 25…

Putin optimistic about Kerch bridge

The Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea with Taman Peninsula of Russia has been built applying the latest technologies and can operate “for centuries, if maintained properly”, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with the TV program ‘Moscow. Kremlin. Putin’ on the Rossiya-1 TV Channel. Putin says Crimean Bridge built to serve people ‘for centuries’https://t.co/72ST8XOQGv pic.twitter.com/pea8vPUplH…