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UK accused of employing ‘double standards’ over treatment of Ukrainian, Syrian refugees

The Arab News reported, Britain and other European countries have been accused of employing “double standards” over their treatment of Ukrainian and Syrian refugees.
Raed Al-Saleh, chief of the search and rescue White Helmets charity in Syria, said that all refugees should be “treated equally” and not receive “preferential treatment.”
In an exclusive interview, he told Times Radio: “The preferential treatment of the Ukrainian refugees is there — we can see it. It is double standards. Refugees should be treated equally regardless of their race, ethnicity, or religion, because they have equal rights.”
The White Helmets group has supported civilians in Syria targeted by Russian-backed airstrikes and attacks ordered by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime. It claims to have saved the lives of up to 125,000 people.

Britain has granted 22,000 visas to Ukrainian refugees under a family visa scheme launched on March 4. A further 2,000 are expected to be supported in an additional program.
But Britain resettled just 20,000 Syrians fleeing the conflict over a six-year period, with a further 666 arriving in the country via a separate scheme.
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Al-Saleh told the Times that the work of his White Helmets team possibly reduced the flow of refugees to Europe.
“The White Helmets are still providing an array of services including ambulance services, urban search and rescue, fire extinguishing services, healthcare, utility maintenance — whether it is electricity, power, or water networks — and they are providing maintenance and repair wherever it’s needed, so that they support the steadfastness of civilians so that they remain in their home areas.
He added: “This led to the mitigation of the refugee crisis because without the White Helmets, the refugee crisis would have been worse and would have been bigger and would have continued for more years."
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Al-Saleh was visiting London this week to meet politicians but has not secured a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
He told the Times that he would issue a plea to Johnson to secure an end to the bombardment of the Syrian people and hold to account “those who perpetrated those violations against them, especially the use of chemical weapons.”
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He said that Western powers must provide “support for a peace process and for a political solution that will guarantee the rights of the people and that would provide the people with a better life so that it helps them return back to their own homelands.”
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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