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Girl’s death in India highlights 'stray dogs menace'

The death of a 12-year-old girl after being bitten by a stray dog has sparked outrage in the Indian state of Kerala, the BBC reported.
Abhirami, who was bitten in August, died on Monday (Sep 5) in hospital. This is the 21st rabies death in Kerala this year.
She had received three doses of the anti-rabies vaccine and was set to take the fourth soon, reports said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says rabies is endemic in India, which accounts for 36% of the world's rabies deaths.
"True burden of rabies in India is not fully known; although as per available information, it causes 18,000-20,000 deaths every year in the country," the WHO says.
Animal rights activists, however, have questioned this, pointing out a "huge difference" between the WHO's tally and Indian health ministry numbers.

The question of stray dogs is a sensitive one in India, and often leads to arguments between animal lovers and local residents over the issue of feeding and sterilising them.
A federal minister told parliament in August that there were 15.3 million stray dogs in India in 2019, according to the Livestock Census. The total number, the minister said, had reduced 10% from 17.1 million recorded in 2012.
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Kerala, which has 290,000 stray dogs, has seen a number of campaigns aimed at getting them off the streets.
In 2016, a campaign to kill stray dogs, promoted by some people in Kerala after a rise in dog bites, had angered activists. A year before that, dog lovers had trended #BoycottKerala on social media against a proposal to cull strays - the plan was never implemented.
On Friday (Sep 9), India's Supreme Court will hear a petition seeking action by federal and state governments against stray dogs.
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The court decided to move up the date of hearing after lawyer VK Biju on Monday highlighted the issue of dog bites in Kerala and mentioned Abhirami's condition (this was before she died).
The plea also calls for cancelling the ABC [Animal Birth Control] rules which were introduced in 2001 - under this, stray dogs are collected, sterilised, vaccinated and returned to the same area from where they were picked up.
Animal rights activists argue that this is the most humane and effective way of keeping the stray dog population in check and reducing dog bites.
Critics, however, allege that the programme isn't being implemented properly and say the solution is to cull dogs.
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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