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Experts pile pressure on Boris Johnson over 'shocking' new coalmine

Bizarre’ decision to go ahead with Cumbrian mine criticised as the UK prepares to host vital climate summit
Pressure is growing on the government over its support for a new coalmine in Cumbria, as the UK prepares to host the most important UN climate summit since the Paris agreement was signed in 2015.
Developing country experts, scientists, green campaigners and government advisers are increasingly concerned about the seeming contradiction of ministers backing the new mine – the UK’s first new deep coalmine in three decades, which will produce coking coal, mostly for export, until 2049 – while gathering support from world leaders for a fresh deal on the climate crisis.The UK is to host the Cop26 UN climate summit in Glasgow in November, at which countries will be asked to sign up to long-term targets of net zero emissions by 2030, and to submit short-term national plans setting out reductions to their emissions between now and 2030.
Developing country experts told the Guardian they were worried about the signal the UK government was sending to poor countries, many of which are considering whether to invest in green energy or coal for the future.
Mohamed Adow, director of the Power Shift Africa thinktank and recent winner of the prestigious £3m Climate Breakthrough Award, said: “It’s a bizarre and shocking decision. People in the developing world who are suffering from the effects of the climate crisis will be horrified. They are relying on the UK to be their champion on climate change and be an example, not returning to the dirty days of coal.”
Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh and an adviser to developing countries at Cop meetings, said: “The UK’s rhetoric loses credibility when a coalmine is approved and also when their development assistance budget is drastically cut as well.”
The renowned climate scientist James Hansen has written to Boris Johnson raising concerns about the new mine, saying it showed “contemptuous disregard” for young people, and urging Johnson to earn “historic accolades” instead by setting a price on carbon.
Sir David King, former chief scientific adviser, backed Hansen’s intervention. “They should not
Myles Allen, professor of geosystem science at Oxford University and one of the UK’s most prominent climate scientists, also called for a change of direction on the mine. “This would be an ideal opportunity for the government to define what a net- zero-compliant coalmine should look like,” he told the Guardian. “They could require
Green campaigners have stepped up their calls for a rethink by the government. John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: “Greenlighting the UK’s first new deep coalmine in 30 years is the last thing you’d expect from the host government of the next major climate summit. It’s like giving a tax break to big tobacco before hosting a global public health conference. “Do as we say, not as we do” can’t be the government slogan for the Glasgow summit. Britain really does need to lead by example, or it won’t lead at all. Ministers are still in time to call in the decision and block the mine before it buries the government’s climate credentials under a tonne of coal.”
Tony Bosworth, coal campaigner at Friends of the Earth, added: “The mounting criticism over the government’s coalmine decision is completely justified. This new mine completely undermines Boris Johnson’s credibility ahead of this year’s crucial climate summit. The prime minister must think again – and consign UK coal to the history books where it belongs.”
The UK is the co-founder with Canada of a global grouping of national and subnational governments aimed at phasing out coal use. Launched at a previous Cop in 2017, the Powering Past Coal Alliance aims to phase out the use of coal for power.
The Cumbrian mine will produce coking coal for steelmaking and other industrial processes, rather than the thermal coal used in power stations, which is the main target of the alliance, but experts said ministers’ support of the mine sent the wrong signal. Tom Burke, co-founder of the environmental thinktank E3G and a former government adviser, said: “
Adow said: “The UK likes to take credit for this alliance, and it goes round the world encouraging other nations to join up – and yet on the eve of hosting the biggest climate summit since Paris, it decides to open its first deep coalmine in 30 years.”
A government spokesperson said: “Planning decisions are made at a local level wherever possible. This application was not called in by the communities secretary and it is a matter for Cumbria county council to decide. As the business secretary set out previously, this planning application relates to coking coal, rather than coal for electricity generation, which is needed for industrial processes like steel and would otherwise need to be imported into the UK. The steel industry is integral in building the infrastructure we need to tackle climate change like offshore wind farms.”
Hansen said coking coal needed to be phased out just as urgently as coal for power stations. He said alternatives to the use of coal in steelmaking were feasible and should be urgently pursued.
source: Fiona Harvey
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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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