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New blaze at South Africa's Parliament contained and suspect due to appear in court

The US News reported according to Reuters that South African officials said on Tuesday, a new blaze at the complex housing South Africa's parliament in Cape Town has been contained, as a suspect arrested in connection with the fire was due to appear in court.
An initial fire on Sunday caused the roof of the New Wing housing the assembly's lower chamber to collapse. The roof of the Old Wing, which dates back to 1884 and houses the upper chamber, the National Council of Provinces, also partially collapsed.
Cape Town city officials said in a statement: "Around midnight the fire was brought under control," adding that "Teams are now working their way through the maize-like building, room-for-room, as they attempt to locate and extinguish (hot spots)."
They said: "This is a lengthy process, as some rooms are needing to have their interior wooden cladding pulled apart, in order to identify any concealed hot spots."

Parliament said in a statement that only six of the 10 fire trucks were now remaining on the scene and it was hoped that more trucks would be withdrawn during the course of the morning.
Person arrested following the outbreak of fire at South Africa's parliament
The statement said: "Further damage has been caused, with more floors of the building, which houses offices of Members of Parliament and support staff, being completely gutted."
South African President promises deep investigation into parliament fire
A 49-year-old man charged with arson and other offences including theft was expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
The elite Hawks police said on Monday the suspect was believed to have gained entry to the parliament through an office window.
Houses of Parliament in the South African city of Cape Town on fire
The fire swept through the buildings but officials have said important sections including a museum with artworks and heritage objects were saved, as was an embroidered tapestry telling the story of the Eastern Cape on the ground floor of the Old Assembly Building.
Source: usnews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
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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.”
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