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Sri Lanka lifts ban on drones imposed after Easter deadly attacks

Sri Lankan authorities have lifted a ban on drones that were imposed after the Easter Sunday attacks that left more than 263 people dead in the Indian Ocean island nation.
The lifting of the ban comes amid growing demand for flying drones from media institutions, foreigners, wedding videographers and photographers, and commercial advertising companies.
However, drone operations will continue to be restricted in dangerous and restricted flying zones.
All civil drone operators will be required to obtain approval from the Defense Ministry to fly drones, the ministry said on its website on Saturday.
The ministry said the ban was lifted on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Authorities imposed the ban last May, citing security concerns a month after seven suicide bombers from a local Muslim group, National Thowheed Jammath, blew themselves up at three churches and three luxury hotels in the deadliest violence by ISIS group-linked militants in South Asia. The attacks wounded about 500 people.
Sri Lankan leaders and the security establishment have been under fire for not acting ahead of the attacks on near-specific intelligence information on possible attacks on churches. Government leaders have acknowledged that some intelligence units were aware of possible attacks weeks before the bombings.
Following the attacks, national police chief Pujith Jayasundara was suspended and former Defense Secretary Hemasiri Fernando resigned. Both were later arrested and are being detained after the presidential commission found grounds to charge them with dereliction of duties and criminal negligence.
source: The Associated Press
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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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