Yemen’s Houthis block UN ship carrying government officials from leaving Hodeidah
March 24, 2020, 4:45 pm

Yemen’s Houthis block UN ship carrying government officials from leaving Hodeidah

A ship is seen at Hodeidah port in Hodeidah, Yemen May 13, 2019. (Reuters)

Yemen’s Houthi militia on Tuesday blocked a UN-chartered ship carrying representatives of the internationally recognized government from leaving Hodeidah port, the government and a source familiar with the matter said. Yemen’s Houthis

The ship was prevented from leaving for a second time by Houthi forces, government-run SABA news agency said.

The ship had been scheduled to sail on Tuesday morning for the government-controlled port of Mokha to drop off government representatives who two weeks ago suspended their participation in a UN-mediated joint negotiating team discussing a truce and troop redeployment from the contested port city of Hodeidah.

The United Nations has been holding meetings between the warring parties on board the ship for months.

Houthi officials did not respond to a request for comment and the UN was not immediately available to comment.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthi militia, aligned with Iran, ousted the government from Sanaa in late 2014.

An Arab military coalition intervened to try to restore the government to power, but the Houthis still control most major urban centers. Yemen’s Houthis

Yemen has not reported any cases of coronavirus, but screening measures and closures have been implemented at airports and ports on both sides of the conflict.

Houthi authorities said last week they had closed the land border except to goods traffic with government-held Yemen. levant

source: Reuters levant

Coronavirus: Oman suspends all domestic, international flights Coronavirus: US loses 500,000 millionaires in record time

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.”