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Indian farmers march to reinforce protesting colleagues to mark year of demonstrations

The Arab News reported according to Reuters, tens of thousands of Indian farmers marched overnight to reinforce protesting colleagues camping on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi to mark a year of sustained demonstrations against three farm laws introduced last year.
Seeking to end the longest-running farmers’ protest that galvanized growers across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week bowed to the protesters’ demand to repeal the controversial laws introduced in September 2020.
Modi, striking a conciliatory note, promised his government would repeal the laws in the new session of parliament, starting next week.

Farmers celebrated the retreat but said the protest would only be called off when parliament repealed the laws and the government promised legislation that would ensure state-set Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all produce, not just rice and wheat.
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Rakesh Tikait, a prominent leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union, one of the largest farmers’ unions, said: “Farmers from across the country have reached the campsites to celebrate one year of our historic protest."
“We thank the government for its decision to repeal the laws, but our protest will continue until there’s a decision on MSPs for all crops. We also demand a committee that should look into our other demands like taking back legal cases against the farmers.”
Currently, the government mainly buys rice and wheat at MSPs, but the safety net benefits barely cover 6 percent of India’s millions of farmers.
Tikait said nearly 700 farmers lost their lives during the protest and the government must announce compensations for their families.
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Tens of thousands of protesters, including many elderly growers and women farmers, have been sitting in encampments for the last one year, braving a scorching summer, frigid winter and severe second wave of coronavirus infections.
Over the months, the main protest sites have come to resemble semi-permanent settlements, replete with community kitchens, barbershops and a reasonably well equipped hospital with an onsite doctor.
Source: arabnews
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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.”
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