The European Union on Wednesday warned Russia and Ukraine that they face long-term consequences unless they immediately resolve a dispute that has cut gas supplies to Europe and left some countries struggling to heat up homes over the winter.

"If the transit (of Russian gas through Ukraine) does not go as normal, we will have a real problem", and the EU will have to conclude that "we no longer consider the supply of gas from Russia through Ukraine as credible," said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

Jerusalem  - Tony Blair said Wednesday that he welcomed Israel's move to halt hostilities for a few hours to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, but said more regular access was needed.

"I welcome Israel's decision to allow a temporary humanitarian lull today," he said in a statement.

Blair serves as the representative of the Quartet, which is made up of the United State, European Union, Russia and the United Nations.

Stockholm  - The foundation that funds the awards known as the Alternative Nobel Prize said Wednesday a university in Malaysia is to host the first Right Livelihood College.

Jacob von Uexkull, founder of the Right Livelihood awards, os to sign the agreement Thursday setting up the college with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) based in the city of Pinang, 200-kilometres north of Kuala Lampur, the foundation said.

Copenhagen - Danish politicians Wednesday approved a new probe into the circumstances surrounding a US Air Force B-52 bomber, armed with nuclear bombs, that crashed in 1968 off northern Greenland.

One of the plane's four nuclear bombs reportedly went missing, and has never been found. Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller said the probe would be "comprehensive", Danish news agency Ritzau reported.

Tel Aviv/Jerusalem  - Israel welcomed Wednesday a Franco- Egyptian proposal to end 13 days of fighting between the Israeli military and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, which has left hundreds dead and thousands more injured.

Israel also instituted a three-hour lull in the fighting in the salient, to allow Palestinians living there to stock up on necessities.

"Israel welcomes the (Franco-Egyptian) initiative and is working on it and is interested in its success," government spokesman Mark Regev said.