Kremlin says Russia will continue to respond in kind to any sanctions
April 19, 2021, 8:51 am

Kremlin says Russia will continue to respond in kind to any sanctions

The Kremlin says Russia would continue to respond in kind if further sanctions were imposed. (File photo: AFP)

The Kremlin on Monday said Russia would continue to respond in kind if further sanctions were imposed, after new US measures last week targeting sovereign debt and blacklisting Russian companies prompted Moscow to retaliate. Kremlin

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “The principle of reciprocity is an absolute constant. These (retaliatory) decisions will keep being taken if similar practice continues.”

On Sunday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington had told Moscow “there will be consequences” if Alexei Navalny, the opposition figurehead who almost died last year after being given a toxin that Western experts say was Novichok, dies in prison, where he is on hunger strike.

The Kremlin also said it did not accept what it called provocative calls for nationwide protests in support of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny, whose health has gravely deteriorated while on hunger strike in prison.

Peskov said unauthorized rallies in support of Navalny would be considered illegal by the authorities.

Navalny’s allies have announced plans for what they hope will be the largest protests in modern Russian history on Wednesday. The United States has warned Russia it will pay a

price if he dies in jail from his hunger strike.

Peskov, who said he did not have any information regarding Navalny’s health condition, added that President Vladimir Putin could not take any action to monitor the health of Russian prisoners.

Navalny, 44, started refusing food on March 31 in protest at what he said was the refusal of prison authorities to provide him with adequate medical care for acute leg and back pain.

Russia’s prison authority said on Monday it had decided to transfer him to a hospital for prisoners. Kremlin

source: Reuters

Image source: AFP

Levant

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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.”