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North Korea on high alert for torrential floods amid COVID-19 crisis

The Arabnews reported, citing the Associated Press, North Korea said Tuesday (June 28) it is making all-out efforts to prevent potential damages caused by heavy rains this week that outside observers worry could aggravate the country’s economic hardships amid its COVID-19 outbreak.
It said that summer floods in North Korea, one of the poorest countries in Asia, often cause serious damage to its agricultural and other sectors because of its troubled drainage and deforestation.
Typhoons and torrential rains in 2020 were among the difficulties that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said had created “multiple crises” at home, along with strict pandemic-related restrictions and UN sanctions.
North Korea’s weather authorities predicted this year’s rainy season would start in late June and issued alerts for torrential downpour in most of its regions from Monday through Wednesday (June 29).

The official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday that authorities in the North’s central and southwestern regions are mobilizing all available resources to cope with possible flood-related damage.
Officials and workers there were engaging in works to protect crops, factory equipment, power plant facilities and fishing boats from heavy rains, KCNA reported. It said the country’s anti-disaster agency was reviewing readiness of emergency workers and medical staff.
North Korea faces infectious disease outbreak amid COVID-19 battle
KCNA said North Korean officials are urging residents and laborers to abide by pandemic-related restrictions during the country’s monsoon season.
It said more than 106,000 medical workers and hygienic workers have been ready to deal with potential major health issues caused by flooding. KCNA said officials are taking steps to ensure anti-epidemic security at shelters for those evacuated from flood-damaged areas.
South Korea’s weather agency said most of North Korea has been receiving heavy rains since Sunday.
North Korea stockpiled Chinese masks and vaccines before reporting COVID-19 outbreak
Concerns about the downpour come as North Korea is battling its first domestic coronavirus outbreak. Since North Korea last month admitted to the outbreak, it said about 4.7 million out of the country’s 26 million people have fallen ill with feverish symptoms, but only 73 died, a fatality rate that is widely disputed by outside experts.
Given its entire population officially remains unvaccinated and its health care system is broken, observers speculate that North Korea must have suffered greater deaths and that it’s likely manipulating its death count to help Kim avoid any political damage.
Source: arabnews
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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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