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Joe Biden nominates Michael Ratney as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia

The Al Arabiya English reported, the White House said on Friday (Apr 22) that President Joe Biden intends to nominate Michael Ratney as the next US ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Ratney is currently serving as the acting deputy director of the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute (FSI). He was recently the chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Jerusalem.
Ratney has also previously served as the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Qatar as well as the acting deputy assistant secretary for the Levant and Israel and Palestinian Affairs. The veteran diplomat was US special envoy for Syria and served in Mexico City, Baghdad, Beirut, Casablanca and Bridgetown.
He speaks Arabic and French. After his nomination is sent to Senate, Ratney will have to be confirmed.

The US did not have an ambassador in Saudi Arabia for two years after former President Donald Trump took office. He then picked John Abizaid to be the envoy. The post has been vacant since he left in January 2021.
Saudi Arabia condemns ‘abuse of Holy Qur’an’ by some extremists in Sweden
US-Saudi relations have dipped since Biden took office, froze arms sales to Riyadh, and lifted the terror designation off the Iran-backed Houthis.
But efforts have been made to bolster ties between the two countries, and earlier this week, an official at the Saudi Embassy in Washington said the relationship was “historic and remains strong.”
Saudi Arabia provides $10 million in urgent medical and shelter aid to Ukrainian refugees
Also, this week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reiterated the importance of US-Saudi bilateral ties during a virtual meeting with her Saudi counterpart.
Source: alarabiyaenglish
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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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