Author: Steven Sahiounie

Czech industries “cannot do” without supplies from the sanctioned country, Prague’s trade minister says The Czech Republic has asked the European Union to exempt Russian steel exports from sanctions as the country cannot find a replacement, Euroactiv reported on Tuesday. Currently, the EU country is importing discounted thick sheet steel from Russia’s metals giant, Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. The existing contract, however, expires at the end of 2024, threatening a crisis for key Czech industries such as construction and car-making. The country’s steel consumption totals around 500,000 tons annually, the outlet said. “In the current situation in the construction industry, in…

The adoption of the technology is correlated with reduction in wages, according to newly published research The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence and related technologies has led to an increase in human jobs, but a decrease in wages, according to a research bulletin published by the European Central Bank on Tuesday. Titled “Reports of AI ending human labour may be greatly exaggerated,” the paper purports to counter fears of AI decimating the labor market with data from 16 European countries taken between 2011 and 2019. “During the deep learning boom of the 2010s, occupations potentially more exposed to AI-enabled technologies…

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto questioned the bloc’s strategy, given the poor results from its support for Kiev Several foreign ministers at this week’s NATO meeting in Brussels have admitted that the Ukrainian counteroffensive has failed, having made no breakthrough and no progress, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. He said the original plan had been for Ukraine to defeat Russia on the battlefield, triggering political consequences in Moscow. “I think today everyone can see – though they may not admit it – that this plan has failed,” Szijjarto told journalists at a press conference during a break at the…

The two sides are now considering the release of men and military personnel, according to Reuters Israel and Hamas are expected to conduct another prisoner swap on Wednesday as part of the ongoing ceasefire, with talks reportedly underway to expand the deal to include other categories of hostages apart from women and children. According to Reuters, discussions regarding the inclusion of men and service members in prisoner exchanges took place as the heads of the CIA and Israel’s Mossad intelligence agencies met with senior Qatari officials in Doha. Should the sides reach an agreement, it may produce a ceasefire that…

The military’s attacks in Gaza are “unlawful,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Israel to be brought to an international court over its actions in Gaza amid the continued escalation between West Jerusalem and Hamas. The Israeli military continues to violate international law in full view of the international community, he told UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a phone call on Tuesday. The two officials spoke ahead of the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza scheduled for Wednesday. The conversation was focused on solutions to the…

The Palestinian militant group does not seek to hold US citizens longer than other hostages, a senior official has said Hamas is not using kidnapped Americans for “leverage” in hostage negotiations with Israel, a top White House spokesman has said, noting there is no sign the Palestinian militant faction intends to “play some sort of game” with its US captives. Asked about the status of Hamas’ American prisoners at a press briefing on Tuesday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the number of US nationals currently held in Gaza is “pretty small,” adding that hostage talks have so far focused on women and children. “There’s no…

The US military has to make do with a stopgap budget that freezes defense funding at the previous year’s levels The Pentagon is scrambling to find money to pay for a military buildup in the Middle East amid the Hamas-Israel conflict due to gridlock in the US Congress, which has so far been unable to approve full defense funding, Politico reported on Tuesday. The US Department of Defense, along with many other federal agencies, is now operating under a stopgap funding bill which was signed by US President Joe Biden earlier this month to avert a potential government shutdown. The…

According to Maria Zakharova, it was precisely Washington’s policies that have served as the primary sources of tension in the conflict zone Washington bears full responsibility for events unfolding in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “The entire current collapse on the territory [of the Gaza Strip], where a colossal tragedy related to the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation has unfolded, is completely and fully the responsibility of the United States, or, rather, I should say, [due to] the irresponsibility [of the US]. It is only they [who are responsible],” she told the Sputnik radio station. According to the…

A French warship sent to Egypt to treat wounded from the Gaza Strip has received its first patients, a French minister said on Tuesday.The Dixmude arrived on Monday in the Egyptian town of El-Arish near the border with Gaza and on Tuesday received the patients, said Sebastien Lecornu, France’s army minister. The vessel is equipped with two operating blocs, 40 beds and 80 medical personnel, he said. Source: Arab News

Dozens of Israeli settlers Wednesday morning stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem, under protection from Israeli occupation police, according to local sources. Witnesses said scores of settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque in separate groups, where they conducted provocative tours through the courtyards of the mosque, received explanations about the alleged “Jewish Temple,” and performed Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock Source: WAFA