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Belarusian president arrives in Russia for talks with Vladimir Putin

The National Post reported, citing Reuters, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko landed in Moscow on Friday for talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin that Minsk said could determine how much longer Russian military forces remain in the ex-Soviet republic north of Ukraine.
Russia’s joint war games in Belarus, which are meant to run until Sunday, have added to Western fears that Moscow could launch an attack on Ukraine, which shares borders with both countries.
Russia denies any plan to invade. Both Minsk and Moscow have said the Russian forces – Moscow’s biggest deployment in Belarus since the end of the Cold War, according to NATO – will leave when the drills are over.
But Lukashenko’s rhetoric has since opened up the possibility that the forces, which are part of a wider Russian buildup to the north, east and south of Ukraine, could actually stay longer.

Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the BelTa news agency on Thursday: “Whatever decision we take tomorrow, that’s how it will be."
Lukashenko was quoted as saying: “It we take a decision, we’ll remove (the force) within 24 hours. If we decide a month, they’ll stay for a month. The armed forces will stay as long as needed."
Russia and Belarus launch joint military drills
He also said Moscow and Minsk had agreed Russia would leave ammunition in Belarus and that Minsk could purchase military equipment from Russia, or simply receive it as a “gift.”
The military drills have displayed Moscow’s tightening grip on Minsk.
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For years Lukashenko, a wily political operator in power since 1994, played off East against West for political gain and resisted the idea of hosting a permanent Russian military base.
Belarus plans to deploy up to 200 troops to Syria
But since Putin shored him up with political and economic support to help him weather huge opposition protests in 2020 he has shed much of that appearance of autonomy.
Franak Viacorka, an adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, described Lukashenko as a vassal of Moscow. He wrote on Facebook: “We are seeing Lukashenko surrendering Belarusian sovereignty."
Source: nationalpost
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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