Coronavirus: Moscow to reopen schools, but extends other restrictions by one week
January 14, 2021, 11:45 am

Coronavirus: Moscow to reopen schools, but extends other restrictions by one week

A general view shows the city centre and the Moskva River in Moscow. (Reuters)

Moscow has extended all restrictions against COVID-19 until Jan. 21, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Thursday, with the exception of pupils returning to schools from Monday.

Russia, which launched a voluntary vaccination program with the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine last month, has resisted imposing a strict lockdown as it did during the first wave of the coronavirus last year, relying on targeted measures instead.

Sobyanin said Moscow’s vaccination program was gaining momentum, with thousands of people being inoculated daily, but the numbers of those in hospitals remained high, which meant only a gradual reduction in restrictions was possible.

“I’ll be direct. The decision to cancel distance learning in high schools was very difficult,” Sobyanin wrote in a blog post on his website.

He warned that the risk of infection remained high and that the detection of one COVID-19 case would result in that pupil’s whole class temporarily returning to distance learning.

Restrictions in Moscow include bars and restaurants having to close early, the wearing of medical masks in shops and on public transport, and businesses having to limit the number of staff in offices.

Russia reported 22,850 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, including 4,320 in Moscow, taking the total to 3,471,053 since the pandemic began.

The nationwide death toll stands at 63,370.

source: Reuters

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.”