US to avenge militarily the bombing attacks at Kabul airport
August 27, 2021, 4:31 am

US to avenge militarily the bombing attacks at Kabul airport

Biden

The Xinhua reported that U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday the United States will avenge militarily the bombing attacks earlier in the day in the Afghan capital of Kabul that have killed at least 103 people, adding the ongoing evacuation in Afghanistan will continue uninterrupted.

The number of U.S. service members killed in the attacks has risen to 13, with 18 more injured troops currently in the process of being flown out of the country, according to the latest update by Bill Urban, public affairs officer of the U.S. Central Command.

"We will respond with force and precision in our time, in a place we choose in a manner of our choosing," Biden said when delivering remarks from the White House, following a deadly suicide bombing attack at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The blast at the airport was followed by another one at the adjacent Baron Hotel, whose details are being figured out by the U.S. military.

The Wall Street Journal, citing a senior Afghan health official, reported that the explosions left at least 90 Afghan civilians dead.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health previously confirmed the attacks had resulted in over 60 deaths and 140 injuries among Afghans, and were claimed by ISIS-K, a radical affiliate of the Islamic State. Active in Afghanistan, the terror group has been fighting enemies including the Taliban.

Biden said he had ordered U.S. military commanders to "strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities," stopping short of elaborating on the specifics. "These ISIS terrorists will not win. We will rescue the Americans. We will get our Afghan allies out. And our mission will go on," he added.

Answering a reporter's question as to whether he'll deploy additional troops to Afghanistan in the wake of the attacks, Biden said if the military needs additional force, "I will grant it."

Asked about whether he considered it a mistake to depend on the Taliban to secure the perimeter of the Kabul airport given the mass casualty bombings, Biden said it's not a matter of trust but rather the Taliban's "self-interest" that led to U.S. coordination with the Taliban.

The president said he has thus far been shown no evidence of collusion between the Taliban and ISIS in masterminding both what happened in the morning and what was expected in the future. The Taliban issued a statement condemning the attacks in their aftermath.

Close to the end of his White House appearance, Biden said he would "bear responsibility for fundamentally all that's happened" during the chaotic withdrawal in Afghanistan, while also shifting the blame on former President Donald Trump, whose administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban to get all U.S. forces out of Afghanistan by May 1, 2021.

The attacks came as the United States has been scrambling to evacuate Americans and its Afghan partners from Afghanistan since the Taliban entered Kabul on Aug. 15.

After seizing Kabul, the Taliban said all U.S. troops must leave Afghanistan no later than Aug. 31, and Biden has upheld that deadline.

"The President relies on the advice of his military commanders and they continue to believe that it is essential to get out by the 31st (of August). That is their advice," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing following Biden's televised speech.

Source: xinhua

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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.