UAE at forefront of women empowerment

Bengaluru, Mar 29: Seven new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Karnataka since Saturday 5 pm to 2 pm on Sunday.

The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 83, out of which five have been cured/discharged and three have lost their lives, according to the Karnataka Health Department.

A total of 979 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

Dubai, May 5: A Saudi ministerial decision issued on Monday allows companies in the private sector to reduce salaries by 40 per cent and allows termination of contracts owing to the economic hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to daily newspaper Al Sharq Awsat.

The new decision was still not published by the cabinet according to the newspaper.

The decision which the newspaper saw a copy of was signed by Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to regulate the labour contract in the current period, allows employers to reduce the employees salaries by 40 percent of the actual effective wage for a period of 6 months, in proportion to the hours of work and allowing the termination of employee contract after 6 months of the COVID-19 circumstances.

The new decision has also included a provision in which the employer would be allowed to cut wages even he or she benefits from the subsidy provided by the goverment, such as those for helping pay workers wages or exemption from government fees.

The decision also stressed that employers are not allowed to terminate any employee, unless three conditions are met.

1.            First the passing of six months since the measures of salary cut has been taken

2.            Reducing pay, annual leave and exceptional leave were all used

3.            Company proves that its facing financial troubles due to the circumstances.

The memo, which goes into affect as soon as its published in the government’s official newspaper, ensures that the employee will receive his/her salary if on annual leave within the period of 6 months.

Bengaluru, April 2: At least three people have been arrested by police in connection with the attack on ASHA worker Krishnaveni in Bengaluru's Byatarayanapura area.

Earlier in the day, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said that an investigation was initiated into the incident in which ASHA workers were attacked.

"I have appointed Pulikeshi Nagar ACP, Tabarak Fathima, to investigate the matter. A case will be registered and action will be taken. ASHA workers will be protected by the police to carry out their functions," Rao told ANI here.

Earlier, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan visited one of the ASHA workers who was allegedly attacked by unidentified miscreants and termed the incident as "completely demoralising" for the workers.

ASHA workers, who were deployed to spread awareness about coronavirus and identify suspected cases, were allegedly attacked by a group of locals in Byatarayanapura here on Wednesday.

The workers said that the locals did not allow them to work and around 100 people gathered at the spot and harassed them.

This comes as the country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus.