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Flight ban hits Sergei Lavrov's visit to Serbia

The BBC reported, a visit to Serbia by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been cancelled because three of Serbia's neighbours have refused to let his plane use their airspace.
EU member Bulgaria imposed the flight ban, along with North Macedonia and Montenegro - countries hoping, like Serbia, to join the EU.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered an EU airspace ban in February.
Mr Lavrov has blamed "the Brussels puppeteers" for the latest move.
Serbia has not joined the EU's wide-ranging sanctions against Russia, and remains friendly with the nation. The EU and UK imposed a blanket flight ban on Russian planes - including the private jets of oligarchs - days after the 24 February invasion.

Like many other European countries, Serbia relies heavily on Russian gas. Mr Lavrov was to have had talks in Belgrade with President Aleksandar Vucic on 6-7 June.
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In a statement broadcast on Russian state news channel Rossiya 24, he described the decision as "unprecedented" and said that "no one will be able to destroy our relations with Serbia."
He also said: "It seems that the Brussels puppeteers very much did not want to again give us a platform so that in the capital of Serbia we could confirm Russia's position on the problem of Kosovo and the problem of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"They probably did not want us to express support for Belgrade's initiative to realise the open Balkans project in the interests of making healthier, stronger relations between all the countries of the region."
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The Kremlin strongly backs Serbia's refusal to recognise Kosovo's independence. Russia was angered by the Nato bombing campaign against Serbia in 1999 during the Kosovo war.
In his statement on Monday, Mr Lavrov accused Nato and the EU of wanting to "turn the Balkans into their own project called closed Balkans."
Commenting on the move to bar Mr Lavrov's flight, a Russian foreign ministry source said "our diplomacy has yet to master teleportation".
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Serbia's interior minister, Aleksandar Vulin, said he deeply regretted the "obstruction" of Lavrov's visit, adding "Serbia is proud that it is not part of the anti-Russian hysteria".
In early March thousands of pro-Russian Serbs marched through Belgrade, reflecting the countries' traditionally close ties.
Source: BBC
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
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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