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Biden to visit UK in June for first overseas trip as president

Biden to attend G7 in Cornwall before going on to Brussels
Announcement regarded as win by British diplomats
Joe Biden will make his first foreign trip as president to the UK, attending the G7 summit in Cornwall in June before traveling to Brussels, the White House has confirmed.
The announcement is regarded as a win by British diplomats, although the UK hosting Biden’s first presidential venture overseas relies in part on luck in holding the G7 chair in his first year in office.“It was clear early on that the G7 would be his first trip as part of his emphasis on re-establishing relations with partners and obviously the G7 works for that,” a British official said. “We just weren’t certain until now that it would be first, or whether he would make a quick trip to a neighbouring country before June.”
The official announcement covers G7 leader events during the summit from 11 to 13 June. Those will be followed by Nato and EU summits in Brussels from 14 June, but the White House said that “potential additional elements” could be made public later, and those are expected to include other UK stops, possibly including a meeting with the Queen.
Biden and his foreign policy team began his presidency sceptical about Boris Johnson who they saw as being closely allied with Donald Trump and being a driving force behind Brexit, viewed by the Biden camp as being disruptive to western cohesion. UK diplomats in Washington have focused on what the new leaders have in common, particularly a commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
The mood could still sour before the Cornwall summit, particularly if violence continues in Northern Ireland. Biden will hold Johnson accountable for any damage Brexit does to the Good Friday peace agreement. The administration also looks dimly on Johnson’s decision to cut overseas aid, and there will be pressure from Washington to rethink that decision before June.
The White House said the trip to the UK and Belgium “will highlight his commitment to restoring our alliances, revitalising the transatlantic relationship, and working in close cooperation with our allies and multilateral partners to address global challenges and better secure America’s interests”.
The dominant theme of the Cornwall summit, from the US and UK point of view, will be discussing a strategy for the democratic world to confront the challenges represented by Russia and China. That theme will also underpin the Nato and EU meetings in Brussels.
Not mentioned in the White House announcement is the possibility of a summit meeting with Vladimir Putin. Biden has invited the Russian leader to meet in Europe and officials from the White House and the Kremlin are discussing the possibility, according to the US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.
But there has been no agreement so far on whether, when and where to hold what is likely to be a tense encounter.
source: Julian Borger
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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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