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Italy arrests ship’s captain over alleged Libya arms trafficking

Italian authorities have arrested the captain of a Lebanese-flagged cargo ship which was seized in the port of Genoa on suspicion of trafficking arms to Libya, including tanks and artillery, the city’s chief prosecutor said on Friday.
Any deliveries of weapons to Libya would violate a United Nations embargo, although UN officials say the embargo has been subject to frequent violations.
The vessel, the Bana, was blocked by police in Genoa harbor on February 3.
It was then searched after a ship’s officer told Italian authorities that weapons had been loaded onto the ship at the Turkish port of Mersin then transported to the Libyan capital Tripoli, a judicial source said.
The shipment included tanks, howitzers, machineguns, and air defense systems, the source said.
The ship was originally scheduled to sail from Turkey to Genoa. But according to the informant, who has requested political asylum, Turkish military officers escorting the shipment had told the crew to declare that the stop in Tripoli was due to mechanical problems.
The Bana then continued without cargo to Genoa to load cars in the Italian port, chief prosecutor Franco Cozzi said.
The ship’s captain, Youssef Tartiussi, a Lebanese national, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of trying to influence his crew’s testimony and concealing evidence, Cozzi said.
Tartiussi’s lawyer declined to comment.
The Turkish government backs Fayez al-Sarraj, prime minister of Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), which has been fighting since last April for control of Tripoli against the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar.
Italian authorities are analyzing the ship’s navigation equipment and mobile phones of crew members to verify the route followed by the Bana, whose transponders were turned off after it left the Turkish port, Cozzi said.
He said that even though the alleged trafficking had not taken place in Italian waters, it was still necessary to investigate because if it had occurred, any arms deliveries would violate the UN embargo.
source: Reuters
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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.
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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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