Russia expresses regret over US refusal to organize Putin-Biden talks
March 22, 2021, 11:52 am

Russia expresses regret over US refusal to organize Putin-Biden talks

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Moscow said Monday it regretted that Washington did not respond to President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to organize public talks with US President Joe Biden.

“One more opportunity has been passed up to look for a way out of the dead end in Russia-US ties,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Responsibility for that rests fully with the United States.”

Putin last week offered to hold virtual talks with Biden after the American leader described him as a “killer”.

He suggested that the two leaders have an “open direct discussion”, inviting Biden to hold a “live broadcast” on either Friday or Monday.

Biden told reporters on Friday that the two would speak “at some point”.

In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, when asked if he thought Putin, who has been accused of ordering the poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, is “a killer”, Biden said: “I do.”

Putin later mocked the US leader’s remarks, saying “it takes one to know one” and wishing the 78-year-old Biden good health.

The US president’s remarks sparked the biggest crisis in bilateral relations in years, with Russia ordering its Washington ambassador back to Moscow for urgent consultations in an unprecedented move in recent diplomatic history.

source: AFP

Image source: AFP

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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.”