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Westin Tice: Hope for Missing Journalist's Return After 12 Years

On, December 12, 2024, activists on social media shared a video showing an American citizen who was found by a guard in the municipality of the town of Dhiyabiah in Damascus. Reports indicate that he is American journalist "Austin Tice," who has been considered missing for 12 years in the regime’s prisons, despite officials claiming on several occasions that he was not in their custody. One of the residents of Dhiyabiah transported him to his home.
American media sources reported that intensive efforts are being made by the United States to recover journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped 12 years ago while covering the beginning of the revolutionary movement in Syria. Despite the release of several hundred detainees from Assad’s prisons, Tice's fate remains uncertain.
The "White House" stated that President Joe Biden's administration is holding talks with Turkey and other countries to gather more information about journalist Tice's whereabouts, with Biden affirming that the U.S. government believes he is still alive, emphasizing Washington’s commitment to bringing him home, especially after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
In the same context, "Debra Tice," the mother of the American journalist, expressed during an interview with Al-Hurra channel that the current circumstances in Syria hinder the search for her son's place of detention. She added that she has information confirming that her son is still alive and she hopes to see him free. With prisons reopening, she hopes that concerned authorities can locate his place of detention and bring him back to the United States.
She also addressed the family's efforts to communicate with actors in the Damascus capital to find Austin and hand him over to U.S. authorities. She pointed out that the time spent searching for her son has taken far too long due to political complications and the interests of concerned parties focusing on other priorities, despite the sacrifices made by Austin.
The "U.S. Department of State" had previously announced a reward of up to $10 million for information about Austin Tice. "Karine Jean-Pierre," the White House spokesperson, confirmed that finding Tice remains a top priority, noting that the FBI and the State Department offer a reward of up to $11 million for useful information.
The U.S. administration mentioned that they "do not know his whereabouts, but hope he is alive" and continue discussions with Turkey and other countries to locate him.
For his part, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller affirmed that the United States has requested assistance from "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" to pinpoint journalist Tice's location, highlighting the importance of this issue for Washington.
According to human rights sources, the upcoming weeks and months are expected to reveal thousands of crimes committed against detainees in Assad’s prisons, as the releases during the process of liberating all prisons indicate that the returnees represent only a small fraction of documented numbers in prisons, clearly confirming the occurrence of executions buried in mass graves, the details of which will become evident in the coming period.
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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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