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Australian PM ends holiday to face fire crisis

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison cut short a Hawaii holiday on Friday following a barrage of criticism for vacationing while his country battles an unprecedented bushfire crisis.
Morrison expressed regret for the family trip as two volunteer firefighters were killed and a record heatwave exacerbated dozens of out-of-control blazes.
Pressure had been piling on Morrison over his vacation this week, as thousands of exhausted volunteer firefighters battled blazes across the country and millions of people in Sydney choked on toxic smoke.
"I deeply regret any offense caused to any of the many Australians affected by the terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time," Morrison said in a statement Friday.
He added he would be returning to Australia as soon as possible "given the most recent tragic events", referring to the deaths of the two firefighters.
Geoffrey Keating, 32, and Andrew O'Dwyer, 36 died when a tree damaged their truck on Thursday as they battled out-of-control blazes south of Sydney.
Three other firefighters in the vehicle survived with minor injuries.
Criticism of Morrison's absence has been widespread, sparking street protests and a flood of angry social media posts demanding #WhereIsScomo.
The situation was worsened by the prime minister's office initially refusing to confirm his whereabouts.
"We are seeing an absolute lack of leadership from this government and it is a disgrace," said Leighton Drury, a firefighters' union leader addressing Morrison's absence, "where the bloody hell are you?"
New South Wales fire commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said firefighters everywhere were grieving the "huge loss" of the two young fathers who were caught in "the worst imaginable set of circumstances".
"(They) simply went out, doing a remarkable job, like all their colleagues, and like they have done year-in, year-out, and to not be coming home after their shift is tremendous grief," he said.
The fire that they were battling was still out-of-control Friday, leaving no time for their colleagues to grieve.
Fires are burning almost the entire length of Australia's east coast, with more than 100 blazes in New South Wales alone.
A state of emergency was declared in New South Wales -- the country's most populous state -- on Thursday because of the "catastrophic" conditions.
On Friday the crisis spread to South Australia, where firefighters warned of "very dangerous" conditions as they fought a fire that had engulfed a vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.
The state's premier Steven Marshall said that one person had died in a car crash near one fire, and another person is missing. Four volunteer firefighters were reportedly injured.
At least three million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land have been torched across the country in recent months, with eight people killed and more than 800 homes destroyed.
Australia endures bushfires every year but they began particularly early this season, lasted longer and have been far more intense.
Scientists have attributed this in part to global warming, although Morrison's conservative government has been reluctant to link the fires with climate change.
A series of record temperatures this week has further raised the alarm about global warming and has worsened the bushfire crisis.
Australia endured a record national average maximum temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius (107.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.
This was a full degree higher than the previous record set just one day earlier.
Until this week, the record high had been 40.3 C in January 2013. In some parts of Australia, the temperature neared 50 Celsius, but a change in the weather Saturday is expected to see maximum temperatures drop by 20 C in the south of the country.
source: AFP
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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