Turkish President Erdogan to discuss ‘troubling’ Idlib situation with Putin
January 17, 2020, 12:59 pm

Turkish President Erdogan to discuss ‘troubling’ Idlib situation with Putin

Turkish President Erdogan in Istanbul on January 14, 2020. (AP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday he would discuss the latest attacks in northwestern Syria with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Berlin this weekend.

“I intend to discuss these extensively with Mr. Putin in Berlin. The current developments in Idlib are troubling,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.

Dozens of fighters and civilians were killed on Wednesday and Thursday as the regime pressed a deadly offensive despite a ceasefire arranged by Damascus ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey.

The leaders will be in Berlin on Sunday for an international peace conference on Libya, another country where they have sought to establish a ceasefire.

Erdogan accused the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad of constant “lies” over claims the civilians killed in Idlib are terrorists.

“Since when to have three, four, five-year-old children alongside their mothers been terrorists?” he said.

Russia and Turkey have worked closely together on Syria in recent years despite being on opposing sides of the war.

Last week Moscow and Turkey declared a ceasefire in Idlib, the last major opposition stronghold in Syria, but it did not take hold.

source: AFP

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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.”