82 die in Baghdad COVID hospital fire – Interior Ministry
A fire sparked by an oxygen tank explosion killed 82 people and injured 110 at a hospital in Baghdad that had been equipped to house COVID-19 patients, an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Sunday.
“We urgently need to review safety measures at all hospitals to prevent such a painful incident from happening in future,” spokesman Khalid al-Muhanna told state television, announcing the toll.
The fire erupted on Saturday at the Ibn Khatib hospital in the Diyala Bridge area.
Ali Bayati, a member of Iraq’s semi-official High Commission for Human Rights, had said earlier a final death toll had not yet been officially announced but it could be between 30 to 45.
Burj Khalifa supports India with national flag display
Burj Khalifa on Sunday lit up with the Indian national flag in support of the Covid-19 crisis the country is going through. “Sending hope, prayers, and support to India and all its people during this challenging time. #BurjKhalifa #StayStrongIndia,” it tweeted.
Wreckage of lost sub found, 53 crew dead: Indonesian military
Indonesia’s military on Sunday officially said all 53 crew members from a submarine that sank and broke apart last week are dead, and that search teams had located the vessel’s wreckage on the ocean floor.
The grim announcement comes a day after Indonesia said the submarine was considered sunk, not merely missing, but did not explicitly say whether the crew was dead. Officials had also said the KRI Nanggala 402’s oxygen supply would have run out early Saturday.
“We received underwater pictures that are confirmed as the parts of the submarine, including its rear vertical rudder, anchors, outer pressure body, embossed dive rudder and other ship parts,” military chief Hadi Tjahjanto told reporters in Bali on Sunday. “With this authentic evidence, we can declare that KRI Nanggala 402 has sunk and all the crew members are dead,” Tjahjanto said.
An underwater robot equipped with cameras found the lost submarine was lying in at least three pieces on the ocean floor at a depth of 838 meters (2,750 feet), said Adm. Yudo Margono, the navy’s chief of staff.
First phase of Wage Protection System to begin on May 1
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has called on employers to join the wage protection system and commit to regular and timely transfer of workers’ wages to their bank accounts through any of the payment methods facilitated by entities licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain. In this regard, the LMRA noted that the first phase of the system is scheduled to start on May 1, and includes employers who employ 500 workers or more.
The CEO of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Jamal Abdul Aziz Al-Alawi, explained that the LMRA will implement the first phase on this date following the Cabinet’s decision to approve the timeline for the implementation of the wage protection system, and the Minister of Labour and Social Development, Chairman of the Board of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority’s Edict 22/2021 on the timeline of implementation of the wage protection system for workers in the private sector.
Speaking about the implementation phases, Al-Alawi indicated that the second phase includes employers who employ 50-499 workers, and its implementation is scheduled to begin on the first of September 2021, while the third phase includes employers who employ 1-49 workers, and is scheduled to begin on the first of January 2022. He added that employers may start implementing the system before the initiation of the phases of implementation that include them, noting that the phased application of the system is part of the flexible government regulatory policy to support the private sector.
Al-Alawi highlighted that employers’ commitment to pay employees’ wages on time in accordance with the wages protection system contributes to enhancing the levels of transparency, and reducing wage-related disputes, allowing employers to maintain a professional and stable work environment, which will in turn facilitate increased productivity. He also noted that the Authority will follow up on employers’ commitment via an electronic database, stressing that the Authority ensures that this data is kept confidential and shall not be disclosed except within the limits prescribed by law.
US to provide COVID-19 vaccine components, medical supplies to virus-hit India
The US will immediately provide raw materials for COVID-19 vaccines, medical equipment and protective gear to help India respond to a massive surge in COVID-19 infections, a White House spokeswoman said on Sunday.
“The US is working around the clock to deploy available resources and supplies,” National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in a statement. She said the US would send raw materials required for India to manufacture the Covishield vaccine, as well as therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and protective equipment for frontline workers.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all citizens to be vaccinated and exercise caution, as the country set a global record for new COVID-19 infections in a single day.
The US was also is pursuing options to provide India with oxygen generation and related supplies. Washington, which has faced mounting pressure to help the world’s largest democracy, would also send a team of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US Agency for International Development to work with India on the crisis, Horne said. (Reuters)
Gulf Air, Saudia to start codeshare agreement
Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, and Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, have recently discussed ways to enhance their close commercial relationships by establishing a codeshare agreement.
Being the first two airlines that started operations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Gulf Air and SAUDIA will cooperate to expand their footprints regionally and internationally by sharing their codes and offering guests the signature warmth of Arabian hospitality.
The codeshare will further enhance seamless travel options for passengers of Gulf Air and SAUDIA, providing wider choices of domestic destinations in Saudi Arabia and other international destinations across each airline’s network.
Gulf Air places its ‘GF’ code on SAUDIA flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to Bahrain, Abha, Jizan, Yanbu, Aljouf, Ha’il as well as Tunis–Carthage airport.
Under the agreement, SAUDIA will place its ‘SV’ code on Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to Riyadh, Jeddah, Tbilisi, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Baku, and Multan. These codeshare operations will commence from the summer schedule of 2021.
The codeshare represents a cornerstone in strengthening broader commercial cooperation between Gulf Air and SAUDIA, while also reflecting the deep and long standing relationship between the two Kingdoms.
Captain Waleed AlAlawi and Captain Ibrahim S. Koshy also reflected on the progressive growth of the routes and frequencies of both airlines, enhancing the connectivity between both nations.
Gulf Air’s Falconflyer members will be able to earn and redeem miles when flying on SAUDIA. Similarly, SAUDIA’s Al Fursan frequent flyer members traveling with Gulf Air on these routes will be eligible to earn and redeem miles for flights operated by either carrier on their codeshare routes.
Iraq health minister, Baghdad governor suspended
Iraq’s health minister and the governor of Baghdad have both been suspended after the fire at a Baghdad hospital. At a special Sunday Cabinet session, Health Minister Hassan Al-Tamimi and Baghdad Governor Muhammad Jaber were suspended and referred for investigations, said a statement by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s media office.
It added that a commission chaired by Interior Minister Othman Al-Ghanimi was set up to investigate the deadly fire at Ibn Al-Khatib hospital and hold those responsible accountable. The Iraqi government declared three days of national mourning for the victims of the fire.
SCW launches ‘Women’s Support Centre’ Application
The Supreme Council for Women (SCW) has launched the “Women’s Support Centre” Application that provides integrated services and consultations to beneficiaries.
The move is within the framework of the SCW’s keenness to constantly develop the services it delivers through the Women’s Support Centre and make them more flexible and efficient in meeting the needs of Bahrain women and their families, in addition to meeting the requirements of the exceptional circumstances created by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The application is available on Google Play and Apple Store in Arabic and English. It is accessible to people with special needs, and can be downloaded on smart phones and devices.
Currently, the Women’s Support Centre’s staff are working fully online, using an advanced technological infrastructure, including Microsoft Teams, VPN, Remote Desktop, OneDrive and AVAYA Cloud IPT.
Putin and Biden may meet in June: RIA
A summit between president Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden is likely to take place as early as June, a senior Kremlin official said on Sunday, amid hopes that face-to-face talks between the two leaders will ease heightened tension between Moscow and Washington.
Biden proposed to Putin earlier this month that they hold a summit in a third country in an effort to “normalise” relations between Moscow and the west, which have soured over new US sanctions against the Kremlin.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, said on Russian state television that “they are talking about June, there are even specific dates,” being considered for the meeting, adding: “Well, I will not talk about them yet, but it is June.”
Other senior Russian officials have said Biden’s proposal for a meeting in a European country has been “positively” received. Biden plans to be in Europe in June for his first foreign trip since taking office, to attend the G7 summit in the UK from June 11-13 and the Nato summit in Belgium on June 14.
