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Syrian ambassador laughs when asked if his government bombed Aleppo hospitals

Avideo showing Syria's ambassador to the United Nations laughing when asked if his government had bombed two hospitals in Aleppo has sparked outrage.
When Al Jazeera diplomatic editor James Bays asked Bashar Jaafari, the Syrian government's top negotiator, if his country's military had bombed two hospitals in Aleppo on Wednesday, the ambassador simply laughed as he walked away.
https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/781165298632318976
"Whether that was a laugh of contempt or glee or whether it was just a nervous laugh,
Two of besieged Aleppo’s largest hospitals were put out of service after they were hit by air strikes and artillery fire within minutes of each other at 4am.
Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the UN, described the video, which was shared by Al Jazeera producer Whitney Hurst, as "chilling".
"This is the face of the Syrian regime and Russia’s actions in Aleppo – absolutely no regard for the thousands being slaughtered. Chilling," she posted on Twitter with a link to the Al Jazeera clip.
The US ambassador also described the attacks as “barbarism,” accusing Russia and its ally, president Bashar al-Assad, of "laying waste to what is left of an iconic Middle Eastern city."
Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the DC-based Middle East Institute, said the clip exemplifies "the Assad regime's callous nature:"
"If 10 seconds could ever sum up the #Assad regime's callous nature, this clip from @baysontheroad & @AJENews would be it."
https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/781274599233236992
Russian and Syrian warplanes have been pounding opposition-held Aleppo with an unprecedented ferocity since declaring an all-out offensive to retake the city. More than 350 people have been killed since last Friday, leaving hospitals overflowing and doctors unable to cope.
Last week, in a display of disgust towards the Assad regime, Matthew Rycroft, the British ambassador to the UN, walked out of a specially convened Security Council meeting when Mr Jaafari rose to speak.
“Aleppo’s inhabitants… are now facing an unprecedented, unrelenting onslaught of cruelty,” Mr Rycroft said at the time.
“In short, it is difficult to deny that Russia is partnering with the Syrian regime to carry out war crimes.”
Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations chief, also condemned the latest attacks as “war crimes” on Wednesday.
"Let us be clear. Those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes," Mr Ban told the UN Security Council.
https://twitter.com/DreJoanneLiu/status/781096472200749060
Rights groups have accused Syrian and Russian forces of deliberately targeting medical facilities, with Amnesty International earlier this year accusing the allies of "wiping out hospitals as part of their military strategy."
Most of the hospitals have moved into basements to protect against strikes, but Russian warplanes last week began dropping bunker-buster bombs, which can penetrate deep underground and level entire buildings.
Last week the almost complete rupture of relations between Russia and the Western powers played out in angry scenes at the UN’s New York headquarters, where Britain, France and the US openly condemned Russia as “an international pariah.”
Source:telegraph
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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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