The Houthis threaten the global economy more than Iran - an article in The Independent

The Houthis threaten the global economy more than Iran - an article in The Independent

Published 5 minutes ago

Reading time: 4 minutes

On our press tour today, Thursday, we read an article in the Independent newspaper about “the Houthis pose a greater threat to the global economy than Iran,” a second article in the Guardian newspaper about the possibility of Canada joining the European Union and its impact on the “European security crisis,” and finally an article in the Washington Post about the potential risks of developing artificial intelligence systems capable of self-improvement.

We begin our press tour from the British Independent and an article by Marc Almond in which he believes that the Houthi group in Yemen “currently represents a greater threat to the global economy than Iran, due to its ability to target the main shipping lanes in the Red Sea using drones and missiles.”

Almond points out that the Houthi attacks on the Saudi East-West oil pipeline “demonstrated their ability to disrupt Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea.”

The article asserts that “disruption of navigation in the Red Sea may have a greater impact on global supply chains than Iranian threats in the Strait of Hormuz, because the Red Sea is a larger and more diverse trade corridor.”

He added: "Shipping companies may also be forced to change their routes around Africa to avoid risks, which increases transportation times and costs for consumers."

The writer considers that "the Houthis' acquisition of missile and drone technologies, with Iranian support or technical knowledge, represents a warning to major trading countries, as the tools to disrupt the global economy have become within the reach of poor countries and groups that control strategic locations."

The article also discusses "the dilemma facing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman between continuing the costly war against the Houthis or reaching a settlement that might make the Kingdom appear weak."

Almond points out that the United States "rejected Saudi requests for military assistance, while only Israel appears prepared to provide air support, which is a very sensitive option for Saudi Arabia."

Skip the most read and keep reading

Most read

Most read end

The article concludes by saying that "the complexities of local conflicts and the weak American ability to fight multiple wars make resolving the crisis more difficult, with its continuing repercussions on the global economy."

Canada's membership of the European Union will not solve the security crisis

Skip the podcast and keep reading

Worth paying attention to

An in-depth explanation of the most prominent events and topics, to help you understand the most important variables around you and their impact on your life

Episodes

End podcast

We move to the second article in the British Guardian, which was signed by Paul Taylor, entitled “Opening the European Union’s door to Canada is a harmless gesture, but it will not solve the European security crisis.”

The article discusses the initiative of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to grant Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney a new symbolic status of “associate member” in the European Union during her annual State of the Union address.

The writer believes that this step “carries a political and symbolic value that reflects European solidarity with Canada and its desire for rapprochement with the European Union, but it does not represent a legal commitment or a real institutional framework.”

Taylor points out that using the term "membership" with Canada may raise sensitivities among the Balkan and Eastern European countries that are actually seeking to join the European Union, as well as Britain, "which is currently seeking to rebuild its relations with the Union after its exit from it."

The article also highlights that "the European Union's rapprochement with Canada and countries with similar values ​​such as India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand could enhance the European Union's international influence, but it does not constitute a solution to the pressing security challenges facing Europe, especially the increasing Russian threats and the decline in American commitment to the continent's security during the era of Donald Trump."

The article touched on von der Leyen's proposals to address these challenges, including "creating a new European mechanism for rapid security consultation when a member state is exposed to attacks such as cyberattacks, sabotage of infrastructure and disinformation campaigns."

However, the writer doubts the willingness of all European countries to engage in a tougher confrontation with Russia or risk escalation of the conflict by responding to these attacks.

The dangers of “self-improving” artificial intelligence

The conclusion is with an article in the American “Washington Post” by Emil Otto discussing “the potential risks of developing artificial intelligence systems capable of self-improvement and producing generations more advanced than themselves,” a process known as “repeated self-improvement.”

The article notes that some researchers expect this to lead to what is called an “intelligence explosion,” where artificial intelligence capabilities will accelerate dramatically.

The article reviews examples of “worrying behaviors” demonstrated by some recent models, such as lying, deception, trying to bypass the restrictions imposed on them, and even trying to blackmail or hack systems to achieve the goals assigned to them.