U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to Close Amid Threat of Airstrikes
November 20, 2024, 2:01 pm

U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to Close Amid Threat of Airstrikes

أوكرانيا وروسيا \ تعبيرية \ متداول

The U.S. Department of State's Consular Affairs Office announced that the Washington embassy in Kyiv will close its doors following information regarding a potential large-scale air attack.

In a statement posted on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, the office stated, "Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed, and staff members have been instructed to shelter in place."

The statement continued, "The U.S. embassy advises American citizens to take shelter immediately if air raid sirens sound."

This warning comes a day after Ukraine used U.S.-made ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory, leveraging a recent permit issued by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden on the thousandth day of the war.

Russia has warned the West for months that allowing Ukraine to use American, British, and French weapons to target deep inside Russia would lead Moscow to consider those nations members of NATO as directly involved in the war in Ukraine.

Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia would respond if Ukraine struck the Russian heartland with U.S.-made weapons.

On Tuesday, President Putin lowered the standards under which a nuclear strike could be launched in response to broader conventional attacks, escalating nuclear risks at a time when tensions are at their highest levels with the West in over half a century.

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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.”