Hong Kong activists refuse to travel to Macau before Xi visit
December 18, 2019, 10:30 am

Hong Kong activists refuse to travel to Macau before Xi visit

A protester holds a mask depicting China's President Xi Jinping at a Human Rights Day march in Hong Kong, China December 8, 2019. (File photo Reuters)

A ferry company barred a group of Hong Kong protesters, including a well-known pro-democracy activist, from boarding a boat Wednesday to Macao, where Chinese President Xi Jinping is slated to arrive for a much-trumpeted visit.

The travel company gave the group a Macao police notice that said the activist Leung Kwok-hung, also known as “Long Hair,” and others intended to disrupt activities around the 20th anniversary of Macao’s return to Chinese control, prompting authorities to ban them from entering the territory.

Like Hong Kong, Macao has a separate legal system from mainland China. In recent weeks, ahead of the anniversary, state media have touted the former Portuguese colony as a shining example of how “one country, two systems” can work.

This same principle has been questioned during months of anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong.

Leung and around 10 protesters held up posters of Xi and Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam in a Hong Kong shopping center beside a ferry terminal. They spoke about the five demands Hong Kong’s protesters have issued, which include universal suffrage, and recalled the Tiananmen Square democracy movement that ended in bloodshed in 1989.

An elite pro-Beijing panel selected Ho Iat-Seng, a pro-establishment businessman and politician, as Macao’s new chief executive in August. In contrast to Hong Kong, Macao residents have exhibited far less resistance to the Communist Party-ruled central government.

The region is the world’s largest casino gambling market, raking in revenues dwarfing the Las Vegas Strip.

source: The Associated press

Hungarian official says his country defending Europe from terrorist threat Saudi Aramco stock dips as it gets added to MSCI, Tadawul indices

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.”