Trump to fire up base with anti-abortion rally speech
January 24, 2020, 9:35 am

Trump to fire up base with anti-abortion rally speech

Donald Trump has increasingly aligned himself with the anti-abortion movement File photo AFP

With his eyes firmly on the November election, Donald Trump will Friday become the first US president to address in person the country's biggest annual gathering of anti-abortion campaigners.

Addressing a crowd of thousands on the National Mall in Washington, Trump is assured of a hero's welcome as the unrivaled star of this year's "March for Life."

Just blocks away in the Congress building, in what will surely be a remarkable split-screen moment, senators will be sitting in judgment at the president's impeachment trial.

While impeachment will forever stain his record, Trump is all-but-assured of exoneration by the Republican-held Senate -- and the former real estate magnate is already looking past the trial to the re-election fight that awaits.

Before entering politics Trump described himself as pro-abortion rights, but he has increasingly aligned himself with the anti-abortion movement as he works to firm up his electoral base -- none more so than the white evangelicals who backed him overwhelmingly in 2016.

"President Trump has governed as the most pro-life president in history," summed up Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the anti-abortion campaign group SBA List.

"We are proud to stand with President Trump and are going all-in to ensure his re-election," said the activist, whose group plans to visit four million voters before election day "to defeat abortion extremists."

The "March for Life," which Trump has addressed by video message the last two years, is organized annually on or near the anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling in Roe v Wade, which legalized the procedure nationwide on January 22, 1973.

Under Trump's presidency, abortion rights activists fear that landmark ruling is now under threat.

In his message to last year's march, Trump said he had made clear to Congress that he would veto any legislation that "weakens the protection of human life."

Since taking office in 2017, the president has strengthened the Supreme Court bench's 5-4 conservative majority, naming two justices who oppose abortion -- Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh -- and galvanizing abortion opponents.

Conservative-leaning Chief Justice John Roberts is seen as the potential swing vote if the constitutionality of abortion eventually comes before the court.

Around two-thirds of Americans say abortion should be legal, polls suggest.

But while Roe v Wade remains the law of the land, numerous states have taken measures to limit access to abortion.

The first big Supreme Court test of that anti-abortion push will come in March when the court examines a Louisiana law whose restrictions on abortion are similar to a Texas law struck down nearly four years ago.

As it does each year, the march will start at the National Mall and end at the Supreme Court behind the Capitol building, where 100 senators are sitting as jurors in Trump's impeachment trial.

source: AFP

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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.