Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urges 'decisive' measures to deal with Covid spread in Iran
August 12, 2021, 5:13 am

Khamenei

The We For News reported according to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's website that he on Wednesday urged for “decisive” measures to deal with the recent surges in the cases and deaths of Covid-19 in the country. Khamenei

Khamenei said in his televised message: “The loss of more than 500 lives in one day and the grief of their families, as well as the infection of tens of thousands of people with their diseases and their medical problems, are really very painful … so we have duties to deal with it.”

According to the We For News, he lauded the Iranian president’s one-week deadline to making decisions about the issue of coronavirus resurgence, saying that “necessary action should be decided and acted upon decisively.”

Citing the Xinhua news agency, the We For News said, Khamenei also stressed the need to expand diagnostic tests and asked the government and insurance companies to make diagnostic tests available to all people free of charge.

He stressed, moreover, vaccines, whether imported or domestically-produced, should be provided earnestly and made available to all people.

The armed forces also should do their best to help the people in dealing with the disease control, he said, advising people “to follow the (health) directives completely so that their own lives and the health of others are not endangered.”

On Wednesday, Iran registered 42,541 Covid-19 cases, taking the country’s total infections to 4,281,217.

According to Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education, the pandemic has so far claimed 95,647 lives in the country, after 536 new deaths were registered in the past 24 hours.

A total of 3,618,224 people have recovered from the disease or been discharged from hospitals across the country, while 6,932 remain in intensive care units, the ministry said.

By Wednesday, 13,893,310 people have received the first dose of coronavirus vaccine in the country, while 3,401,487 have taken two doses.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to activate measures for the increase in imports of the coronavirus vaccine.

The government and all the institutions of the establishment, including the armed forces, must work with all their capacity to tackle the immediate issue of the Covid-19, said Raisi in the cabinet meeting, according to official IRNA news agency.

The Iranian health authorities have warned of an alarming situation in the country amid the resurgence of a new variant of the disease, if new controlling measures have not been imposed and vaccination does not speed up.

Source: wefornews

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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.