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Iran continues targeting Western journalists with new Italian arrest
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The arrest of the Italian journalist reveals a recurring pattern in Tehran's repressive policy towards foreign media professionals and their use as diplomatic pressure cards

Iranian authorities have detained Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Tehran, in an incident that sparked diplomatic concern, prompting the Italian ambassador in Tehran to quickly confirm the incident.
Reuters reported that Iranian security agencies began detaining the journalist on December 19th, placing her in solitary confinement for an entire week.
The podcast media organization that Sala belongs to announced her failure to return to Rome as scheduled on December 20th, explaining that communication with her was lost since the morning of December 19th after her mobile phone stopped working, while the Italian diplomat in Tehran began inspecting her place of detention.
This incident recalls a similar scenario involving Italian blogger Alessia Piperno in Tehran during October 2022, when Iranian authorities targeted her on the twenty-eighth of the month, coinciding with her thirtieth birthday celebration, and placed her in the notorious Evin prison, before the Italian Prime Minister's office announced in November 2022 the successful efforts to secure her release and return to her country.
These repressive practices reflect the hardline Iranian regime's approach in dealing with foreign media professionals and nationals, using them as pressure cards against Western countries.
Levant-Agencies
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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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