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Myanmar: Thousands take to the streets of Yangon to protest against military coup amid internet blackout

Protesters - factory workers and students prominent among them - show their opposition to the army takeover.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Yangon to denounce Myanmar's military coup and demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of her National League for Democracy.
It appears to be the largest demonstration since the power grab on Monday.
"Against military dictatorship" read the banner at the front of the march, as protesters chanted: "Military dictator, fail, fail; Democracy, win, win."
The protesters - factory workers and students prominent among them - marched on Saturday morning through the country's biggest city.
By noon, more than 100 police in riot gear had been deployed to block them from moving ahead.
The military junta has tried to silence dissent by temporarily blocking Facebook and extended the social media crackdown to Twitter and Instagram on Saturday in the face of the growing protest movement.
Authorities ordered internet providers to deny access to Twitter and Instagram "until further notice", said Norwegian mobile phone company Telenor Asa.
Demand for VPNs has soared in Myanmar, allowing some people to evade the ban, but users reported more general disruption to mobile data services, which most people in the country of 53 million rely on for news and communications.
"We lost freedom, justice and urgently need democracy," wrote one Twitter user. "Please hear the voice of Myanmar."
Army chief Min Aung Hlaing seized power alleging fraud in a November election that the National League for Democracy won in a landslide. The electoral commission dismissed the army's accusations.
The junta announced a one-year state of emergency and has promised to hand over power after new elections, without giving a timeframe.
The takeover drew international condemnation with a United Nations Security Council call for the release of all detainees and targeted sanctions under consideration by Washington.
Ms Suu Kyi, 75, has not been seen in public since the coup. She spent some 15 years under house arrest during a struggle against previous juntas before the troubled democratic transition began in 2011.
A lawyer for Ms Suu Kyi and ousted president Win Myint said they were being held in their homes and were still being questioned.
Ms Suu Kyi faces charges of breaching import and export laws while Mr Myint is accused of flouting coronavirus restrictions.
"Of course, we want unconditional release as they have not broken the law," said lawyer Khin Maung Zaw, who is representing them both.
Analysis by Siobhan Robbins, Southeast Asia correspondent
If Myanmar's generals thought they could silence democracy, they were wrong.
Yangon on Saturday saw the biggest protest since Monday's coup as thousands of people came on to the streets to demand their country back.
"Let the military dictatorship fall," they shouted, as they raised their hands in the three-finger salute of resistance.
It's a symbol taken from the Hunger Games books and previously adopted by pro-democracy activists in Thailand before being picked up by protesters across the border.
But this wasn't the picture the military wanted the people of Myanmar or the outside world to see - unsurprisingly, it seems generals who stage a coup d'etat don't like push back.
First they restricted Facebook in an attempt to stop people from mobilising. When that didn't work, Twitter and Instagram followed.
When all that failed, to try to keep people off the streets, today they tried to shut down the internet completely.
"It really should be cause for great international concern and I cannot emphasise that strongly enough," Amnesty International spokesperson, Kayleigh Long, told Sky News.
"This is a military with a history of impunity and committing grave human rights violations. We're hearing of round-ups of people - there are activists, journalists and civil society members in hiding. The situation there warrants grave concern and urgent action."
The anger of pro-democracy supporters has been growing all week.
It started with a tentative banging of pots and pans but is now a deafening freedom song.
"I feel heartbroken," one man told us. "I feel sad that the military ignores our voices and wishes."
By turning the internet off, the military has effectively pulled the shutters down on the outside world and the picture inside grows even murkier.
Myanmar's democratic dream is gravely wounded but this week the people have shown they won't give in, they will fight to keep it alive
So far, violence has been avoided, but the country's new leaders have overseen crackdowns before - and there are growing fears they will strike brutally when their patience runs out.
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- 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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