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'Extraordinary' to invite China to Queen's funeral, senior Tories say

The Chinese government's invitation to the Queen's funeral should be withdrawn, some MPs and peers say, according to the BBC
Senior Tory MPs Tim Loughton and Sir Iain Duncan Smith are among those who have written to the foreign secretary to express concern, it said.
They said it was "extraordinary" that the "architects" of genocide against the Uyghur minority had been invited.
The letter to Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, which was first reported by Politico, was also signed by Crossbench peer Lord Alton and Labour peer Baroness Kennedy.
All the signatories have been sanctioned by China for their vocal criticism of the country, particularly over its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority group.
China's President Xi Jinping is on the guest list for the state funeral but is not thought likely to attend.

On Wednesday (Sep 14), China's foreign ministry said Beijing was "considering sending a high-level delegation" to the funeral, although no more details have been provided.
The South China Morning Post has reported that Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan is expected to attend the funeral, citing diplomatic sources.
UK inviting North Korea to send envoy to Queen Elizabeth's funeral
The prime minister's official spokesman said it was for the Palace to set out the guest list and the convention was that countries with whom the UK has diplomatic relations were invited to send representatives.
Some 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries, including US President Joe Biden, are expected to attend.
However, representatives from Russia and Belarus have not been invited because of the invasion of Ukraine, nor has anyone from Myanmar because of a breakdown in diplomatic relations following last year's military coup.
Representatives from Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan are also not on the guest list, government sources have told the BBC, and North Korea, Iran and Nicaragua have only been invited to send ambassadors.
levantnews-BBC
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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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