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Ukraine tells its people to flee homes in the east before Russia attacks

The Arab News reported, citing news agencies, Ukraine on Wednesday (6 Apr) urged its citizens in the east of the country to flee their homes before Russia began a major new offensive in the region.
Russian forces in northern Ukraine have been driven back after failing to capture the capital, Kyiv, but are now thought to be regrouping before a redeployment in Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk.
Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk urged people there to leave immediately and seek refuge in safer areas to the west. She said: “It has to be done now because later people will be under fire and face the threat of death."
It said, Ukraine’s military said Russian forces were continuing preparations for an eastern offensive to take full control of Donetsk and Luhansk. The main focus was Donetsk, where Russian troops were still trying to seize all of Mariupol.

Tens of thousands of people remain trapped in the southern port city without food, water or power. “The humanitarian situation in the city is worsening,” British military intelligence said. The Red Cross said its team had led a convoy of buses and private cars with more than 500 Mariupol residents to nearby Zaporizhzhia after the civilians fled on their own.
As Russian artillery bombarded other key Ukrainian cities on Wednesday, the US imposed new sanctions, including penalties targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters, and more evidence emerged that Russian troops murdered Ukrainian civilians in the town of Bucha before it was recaptured from the invaders.
Hungary's foreign ministry summons Ukrainian ambassador over 'insult' on Budapest stance
Pope Francis described the killings as a “massacre” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the West needed to do more to rein in Russia. “I can’t tolerate any indecisiveness after everything that Russian troops have done,” Zelensky said. Some Western leaders “still think that war and war crimes are not something as horrific as financial losses.”
The US imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Russian banks and Kremlin officials, and banning Americans from investing in Russia. The sanctions hit Sberbank, which holds a third of Russia’s banking assets, and Alfabank, the country’s fourth-largest financial institution.
NATO says Russian troops regrouping, shifting their focus to the east to try to take Donbas region
Washington also imposed sanctions on Putin’s two adult daughters, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s wife and daughter, and members of Russia’s security council. President Joe Biden said: “I made clear that Russia would pay a severe and immediate price for its atrocities in Bucha."
Britain also froze Sberbank’s assets, and said it would ban imports of Russian coal by the end of the year.
Volodymyr Zelensky to address UN Security Council over Russian ‘genocide’ in town of Bucha
Russia edged closer to defaulting on its international debt as it paid dollar bondholders in roubles and said it would continue to do so while its foreign exchange reserves were blocked by sanctions.
Source: arabnews
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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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