Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-March this year increased production of total rolled products by 35.5% year-on-year to 1.389 million tons from 1.025 million tons, according to preliminary data.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom on Tuesday, steel production increased by 36.6% to 1.687 million tons from 1.235 million tons in January-March 2023.
Pig iron production increased by 32.1% to 1.589 million tons from 1.203 million tons.
As reported, in January 2014, the company increased production of total rolled products by 75.9% year-on-year to 453 thousand tons from 257 thousand tons, steel by 91.6% to 544 thousand tons from 284 thousand tons, and pig iron by 44.5% to 555 thousand tons from 384 thousand tons.
In 2M2024, rolled products output increased by 52.5% y-o-y to 900 thousand tons from 590 thousand tons, steel output by 52% to 1.076 million tons from 708 thousand tons, and pig iron output by 42.5% to 1.050 million tons from 737 thousand tons.
In 2023, Ukraine increased production of total rolled products by 0.4% compared to 2022 to 5.372 million tons, but reduced steel production by 0.6% to 6.228 million tons and pig iron by 6.1% to 6.003 million tons.
In 2022, Ukraine reduced production of total rolled products by 72% compared to 2021, to 5.350 million tons, steel by 70.7% to 6.263 million tons, and pig iron by 69.8% to 6.391 million tons.
In 2021, the company produced 21.165 million tons of pig iron (103.6% compared to 2020), 21.366 million tons of steel (103.6%), and 19.079 million tons of rolled products (103.5%).
This afternoon, April 8, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, the British government’s website reports.
“On Ukraine, the Prime Minister and the President agreed on the importance of intensifying efforts to prevent Russia from winning its aggressive war against Ukraine. They discussed priorities for the coming months, including increasing the supply of ammunition, drones and air defense systems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the statement said.
It is noted that the leaders are looking forward to the upcoming meeting of the European Political Community to be held in the UK and pledged to work together to hold a successful summit that will address a number of common European priorities, including the defense of Ukraine, the development of cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and joint efforts to combat illegal migration and organized crime.
The Polish Agricultural and Food Products Quality Inspectorate (IJHARS) in Rzeszów has issued a decision to ban three batches of bagels with a total weight of 5.34 thousand tons imported from Ukraine from circulation on the Polish market.
According to the inspectorate’s post on Monday on the social network X, the decision was made due to the low fat content and high sugar content of the bagels.
The decision was immediately implemented.
As reported, on April 5, IJHARS in Lublin withdrew three batches of ice cream with a total weight of 8.48 tons imported from Ukraine from the Polish market due to defrosting.
Earlier, the Polish Trade Inspectorate announced the largest fine in its history of 1.5 million zlotys (about $380 thousand) imposed on an importing company for importing 11.5 thousand tons of technical rapeseed and feed wheat from Ukraine as counterfeit goods for further use as food. In addition, a decision was made to ban the import of 57.66 tons of tomato paste from Ukraine due to the presence of mold.
In March, IJHARS Chief Inspector Przemysław Rzodkiewicz said that over the past year, 1.4% of the batches of products from Ukraine inspected by the commission at the border were rejected.
The Spanish government intends to cancel the program that provides foreigners with “golden visas” in exchange for real estate investments, the Financial Times reports, citing a statement by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Currently, citizens of non-EU countries can obtain a Spanish residence permit for a period of three years by investing at least EUR 500 thousand in real estate in the country.
The abolition of the program will improve the situation with the availability of housing in Spain, Sanchez said.
“Currently, 94 out of 100 of these visas are issued for real estate investments in large cities that are already facing a very difficult market. Those who already live there, work and pay taxes, can hardly find decent housing,” the prime minister said.
Ukraine and Hungary have agreed to open the Velyka Palad-Nagyhodos checkpoint for passenger vehicles, the press service of the Ministry of Community Development, Territorial and Infrastructure Development (MinRestore) reported on Monday.
In addition, the countries agreed to allow the movement of empty trucks weighing more than 7.5 tons at the Luzhanka-Beregsurany checkpoint.
The relevant amendments to the Agreement between the governments of the countries on border traffic control were signed by the Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine – Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov and the Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine Heizer Antala.
It is specified that the agreements reached with Hungary require ratification to come into force.
“The signed amendments to the Agreement with Hungary allow us to start planning design and infrastructure works to launch the new Velyka Palad-Nagyhodos checkpoint and ensure the movement of empty trucks at Luzhanka,” Kubrakov said.
According to him, the possibility of building a new cargo checkpoint “Dyida-Berehdaroc” is also being considered to increase the capacity of the Ukrainian-Hungarian border.
Kubrakov also noted that Ukraine is working to start negotiations on the introduction of joint customs and border control with Hungary.
“This will allow us to speed up control procedures and reduce the time for crossing the border,” emphasized Kubrakov.
There are 5 automobile checkpoints on the border with Hungary. Only the Chop-Záhony checkpoint can handle trucks weighing more than 7.5 tons. Both loaded and empty vehicles go there. Every day, about 220 trucks cross the Chop-Zahony border crossing to leave Ukraine.
The Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine will continue to develop technologies for using artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose eye diseases, said Andriy Korol, head of the department for studying the biological action and application of lasers in ophthalmology at the clinic.
“We have now worked out diabetic retinopathy, and at the next stage we will develop in several directions. These may include specific eye diseases, retinal diseases, glaucoma, age-related degeneration, and other diseases that are manifestations of diabetes,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
Korol noted that another area of AI technology development that the institute plans to implement will be a system that will allow “to see the symptoms and signs of various diseases, such as hypertension, vascular changes, hereditary diseases, and a number of rare diseases.”
Korol specified that the institute will be able to “launch research on new nosologies every year and a half.”
