Spain urges responsibility as parties mark COVID-19 curfew’s end
May 10, 2021, 8:50 am

Spain urges responsibility as parties mark COVID-19 curfew’s end

People sit on a terrace during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Barcelona, Spain, on October 14, 2020. (Reuters)

Spain’s government called Monday for “responsibility”, insisting health restrictions were still in place after weekend images showed people celebrating the state of emergency’s end without masks or social distancing.

“The end of the state of emergency does not mean the end of restrictions. Far from it. The virus threat still exists,” Justice Minister Juan Carlos Campo wrote in an opinion piece in El Pais daily.

“That’s why the authorities will continue to take action and the public must keep on behaving responsibly.”

After more than six months of curfews and a ban on travel between Spain’s 17 regions under a state of emergency which was imposed in late October, Spaniards were afforded new freedoms when the measure expired in the early hours of Sunday.

But the images of hundreds of people joyfully celebrating in the streets of Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities without masks or social distancing made Monday’s front pages and sparked much debate online.

With nearly 79,000 deaths and more than 3.5 million infections, Spain has been badly hit by the pandemic, with the pictures provoking a backlash, particularly politicians quick to blame the government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

“With Sanchez, we’ve gone from a state of emergency to a state of chaos,” fumed opposition leader Pablo Casado who heads the right-wing Popular Party.

In his editorial, the justice minister pointed out that 28 percent of the population had already received a first dose of the vaccine, saying that in areas where it might be necessary to reimpose restrictions on fundamental rights, “judicial authorization must be sought”.

With local court approval, the regions can still limit the opening hours of shops, bars and restaurants as well as their capacity. And if courts deny permission, the regions can appeal the decision to Spain’s Supreme Court.

source: AFP

Image source: Reuters

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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.”