Queen Elizabeth II greets Canadian PM in person after COVID-19 scare
March 7, 2022, 5:48 pm

Queen Elizabeth II greets Canadian PM in person after COVID-19 scare

This afternoon The Queen received the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, for an Audience at Windsor Castle (File photo: The Royal Family official Facebook page)

The Arab News reported, citing the AFP, Queen Elizabeth II met visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, in her first in-person engagement since falling ill with Covid-19.

The 95-year-old monarch, who is also queen of Canada, chatted with Trudeau after he jetted in for talks on the conflict in Ukraine with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte.

Buckingham Palace announced on February 20 that the queen had tested positive for coronavirus and she was forced to cancel a series of appointments with foreign diplomats.

News that she had “mild” symptoms of Covid-19 heightened fears for her health that have lingered since she had an unscheduled overnight stay in hospital last October.

She was forced to slow down on medical advice and canceled a number of public engagements, including hosting world leaders at the UN climate change summit last November.

Queen Elizabeth-Britain's Queen Elizabeth (File photo: Shutterstock)

Her public appearances have become rarer since, and in one recent audience she complained of mobility problems.
On Monday, the queen, wearing a patterned dress, greeted Trudeau at her Windsor Castle home, west of London, and was not seen with a walking stick she has been using.

Although visibly frailer, she appeared smiling and laughing after the pair shook hands.

Queen Elizabeth recovers to carry out virtual engagements

Her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, told members of the public on a royal visit last week that she was now feeling “a lot better.”

The queen, who is celebrating her record-breaking 70th year on the throne, has visited Canada more than 20 times and in the 1970s met a young Trudeau when his father, Pierre, was prime minister.

She returned to public engagements last week, hosting a number of new foreign ambassadors by videoconference, and is due at two public events next week and later this month.

Queen Elizabeth tests positive for Covid-19

It should be noted that next Monday, she is scheduled to attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in central London and a memorial for her late husband at the same venue on March 29.

Source: arabnews

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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.”