Author: Daily Sabah With DPA
Thousands of people protested in Israel Saturday against the new military offensive against Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip. At the central rally in Tel Aviv, which was called by The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, relatives who have been fearing for their loved ones for 581 days now also spoke. According to official Israeli figures, 59 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, but only 24 of them are believed to be alive. Ilan Dalal, the father of an Israeli man who was abducted on October 7, 2023 after the Hamas attack said that his…
The new Pope Leo XIV on Saturday warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) during a meeting with cardinals in the Vatican. The first pontiff from the United States, where the leading AI firms are based, described the technology as one of the greatest challenges of the coming years “for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.” Leo also expressed his intention to continue the path of his late predecessor, Francis. The American, whose secular name is Robert Francis Prevost, was elected on Thursday as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Francis was seen as a…
The new Pope Leo XIV on Saturday warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) during a meeting with cardinals in the Vatican. The first pontiff from the United States, where the leading AI firms are based, described the technology as one of the greatest challenges of the coming years “for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.” Leo also expressed his intention to continue the path of his late predecessor, Francis. The American, whose secular name is Robert Francis Prevost, was elected on Thursday as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Francis was seen as a…
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has praised a proposal for a “full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire” in Ukraine as European leaders met in Kiev. “The ball is now in Russia’s court,” said von der Leyen in Brussels on Saturday. “We stand ready to maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire.” The comments as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kiev is ready for an unconditional ceasefire from Monday, with leaders from France, Germany, the UK and Poland convening in the Ukrainian capital as calls intensify for…
Russia hopes to continue and develop its ongoing dialogue with the Vatican, according to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow, in a statement posted after the election of the new pontiff. The Russian Foreign Ministry hopes its exchange will continue including concerning the war in Ukraine, it said a day after Pope Leo XIV was elected to lead the Catholic Church. “We value the constructive cooperation with the Vatican in resolving a number of humanitarian issues in the context of the conflict in Ukraine,” the ministry said in a statement published on its website. The relationship is based on a mutual…
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to arrive in Brussels on Friday for talks with top EU and NATO officials, marking his second foreign trip since taking office earlier this week. Merz is scheduled to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. He visited Paris and Warsaw on Wednesday on his first official trip abroad as chancellor. Merz has pledged that Germany’s “voice in Europe and in the world” would be heard again. As opposition leader, Merz had accused former chancellor Olaf Scholz…
Eighty years after the end of World War II, Russia is set to commemorate the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 with its traditional military parade on Friday. It will be the fourth parade featuring thousands of soldiers and heavy military equipment on Red Square since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Security measures are even tighter than usual due to threats by Ukraine not to comply with a unilateral ceasefire ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin is expected to once again justify the invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in his speech, which is why Western…
In his first mass as the new leader of the Catholic Church on Friday, Pope Leo XIV warned materialism and cautioned that losing one’s faith can have “dramatic side effects.” These include finding that “the meaning of life is lost, mercy is forgotten, human dignity is violated in the most dramatic ways, the crisis of the family and many other wounds from which our society is suffering significantly,” he said, speaking in Italian. The comments came one day after Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first US pontiff, with white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel chimney after…
The countries that won World War II in 1945 are on Thursday marking the 80th anniversary of its end – commonly known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day – with parades and various other events. On Thursday, a service at Westminster Abbey in London and a large concert are planned for Britain’s celebrations. Pubs can also stay open longer on VE Day. The whole country should come together to remember the sacrifices made by the war generation which should “never be forgotten,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. The country held a military parade in London on Monday, which the royal…
US President Donald Trump is expected to announce a trade deal with the UK on Thursday, according to reports. The US president teased the announcement of a “major trade deal” with a “big, highly respected country” in a post on his Truth Social platform overnight, and a press conference is expected at about 3 pm (1400 GMT). US media, including the New York Times, have reported that the deal is with the UK, citing people familiar with the plans. The UK government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump…