Canadian military says coronavirus is ‘primary concern’
March 28, 2020, 10:45 am

Canadian military says coronavirus is ‘primary concern’

A Canadian flag flies above an industry site with ArcelorMittal Dofasco in the background in Hamilton, Ontario. (File photo Reuters)

The head of Canada’s armed forces has said preventing the spread of the coronavirus in the country is the “primary concern” of his troops. Canadian military says

“Today, our mission along with the armed defense of Canada is to safeguard our health, safeguard the health of Canadians, and be prepared to respond to calls for assistance,” General Jonathan Vance said in a statement Friday.

Units will be able to “deploy by sea, road or air” to support authorities in the battle against the pandemic in Canada, the statement added.

Domestic and global operational commitments will be maintained, the statement said, although some missions “will be reviewed” and scaled back to protect the health of soldiers.

All those returning from deployment will be quarantined for 14 days.

Canada has so far reported 4,757 infections and 55 deaths from the coronavirus.

On Thursday the defense ministry announced it was scaling down its training of the Ukraine military – started in 2015 in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea – due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian military says

Two hundred soldiers were scheduled for deployment in early April to relieve a group already in Ukraine, but the number will be reduced to 60. levant

source: AFP levant

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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.”