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Sergei Lavrov warns Europe could be returning to 'nightmare of military confrontation'

The BBC reported, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that Europe could be returning to what he called the "nightmare of military confrontation".
At a European security conference in Sweden, Mr Lavrov floated the idea of a new European security pact to try to stop Nato from expanding further east.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of "serious consequences" if Russia sought conflict with Ukraine.
The meeting comes as Russia boosts its military near Ukraine's border.
Ukraine says Russia has amassed more than 90,000 troops there.

Moscow denies it is preparing an attack on Ukraine and accuses Kyiv of its own military build-up.
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As tensions rise, Russia said on Thursday it had arrested three suspected Ukrainian security service agents.
Russia's Federal Security Service said, one of the three was accused of planning a terrorist attack, while the other two had been seeking to gather intelligence.
Mr Lavrov and Mr Blinken met at a conference of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
US officials said the two sides had agreed to further dialogue on Ukraine.
Mr Blinken hinted at the possibility of direct talks between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the near future.
Interfax news agency reported, Russia's foreign ministry hoped a Putin-Biden summit would take place in the coming days but no date had been set.
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The build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine's border was among the topics discussed at an in-person summit between the two leaders in Geneva in June.
Earlier this week, President Putin said Russia would seek US guarantees that Nato will limit its presence in Ukraine, which is not a member of the security alliance.
But on Thursday, Mr Lavrov said in a speech that Nato was refusing to constructively consider proposals to de-escalate tensions and prevent dangerous incidents.
He said: "The alliance's military infrastructure is being irresponsibly brought closer to Russia's borders in Romania and Poland, deploying an anti-missile defence system that can be used as a strike complex."
"American medium-range missiles are about to appear in Europe, bringing back the nightmare scenario of a military confrontation."
He warned Nato against turning countries neighbouring Russia, ie Ukraine, into "bridgeheads of confrontation", and said he hoped Russian proposals for a new security pact would be carefully considered.
At a joint news conference with the Russian foreign minister, Mr Blinken said the best way to avoid a crisis was through diplomacy and urged Russia to pull back its forces.
"The United States is willing to facilitate that but... if Russia decides to pursue confrontation there will be serious consequences," he added.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for direct talks with Russia over the more than seven-year conflict with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
He also said that Kyiv's goal was to "liberate" Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, but made no mention of using force.
A large part of the recent Russian military build-up is in Crimea.
Troops are also massing near Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, the name for parts of Luhansk and Donetsk regions under the control of separatists.
Source: BBC
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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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