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India becomes first country to successfully trial air-droppable portable hospital

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Aarogya Maitri Cubes, the world’s first disaster hospital packed in 72 cubes that can be airlifted, had its test run by the Indian Air Force at Agra on May 14. India has become the first country to successfully develop and test a portable, air-droppable hospital. 

The Indian Air Force conducted a test run of the BHISHM Cube, a mobile hospital designed for rapid deployment, in Agra.

This innovative solution in emergency healthcare aims to provide comprehensive medical aid swiftly during crises and emergencies. The BHISHM Cube is part of the Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri (BHISHM) and was tested as part of the Aarogya Maitri project.

Key features of the BHISHM Cube include its waterproof, lightweight design, allowing for various configurations to suit different emergency scenarios. Equipped with advanced medical equipment, the Cube also utilizes RFID-tagged supplies for efficient repacking and redeployment. Sustainability is a core component, with solar energy and battery power ensuring continuous operation. Remarkably, the Cube can be fully deployed in just 12 minutes and has the capacity to treat up to 200 patients.

The BHISHM Cube is packed with essential supplies, including a compact generator, stretchers, modular medical gear, medications, and food supplies. It also includes sophisticated medical equipment such as X-ray machines, blood testing devices, ventilators, and tools to treat various injuries. Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics facilitates real-time monitoring and efficient management of medical services in the field.

Project BHISHM was announced in February 2022, with the Ministry of Defence establishing a task force to drive this initiative. At the Global South Summit in January 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Aarogya Maitri project, under which India committed to providing essential medical supplies to developing countries affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.

The technology behind the BHISHM Cube is a testament to India’s prowess in disaster preparedness and medical innovation. The Cubes were recently deployed in Ayodhya to enhance medical readiness during the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Modi on January 22.

The successful test run in Agra demonstrates the Indian Air Force’s ability to rapidly deploy these portable hospitals to remote or disaster-stricken areas, ensuring timely and effective medical intervention. This development not only enhances India’s disaster response capabilities but also positions the country as a global leader in emergency medical solutions.

As the BHISHM Cube becomes operational, it is expected to play a pivotal role in India’s strategy for disaster management and emergency healthcare. 

The innovation signifies a major advancement in how medical aid can be delivered swiftly and efficiently during crises, potentially saving countless lives and providing critical support where it is most needed.

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Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain close airspaces

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Iran has launched missiles at a US airbase in Qatar in response to strikes on its nuclear sites on Saturday.

Qatar confirms the attack on the US-run Al Udeid base, calling it a “flagrant violation” and says it reserves the right to respond directly.

The country has temporarily closed its airspace and US and UK citizens have been advised to shelter in place.

Meanwhile, Kuwait and Bahrain have also closed their respective airspaces.

(Agencies)

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Suicide bombing at Damascus church kills 22

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At least 22 people have been killed and 63 others wounded in a suicide bomb attack at a church in Damascus, Syria’s health ministry has said.

A man opened fire with a weapon at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias in the Dweila neighbourhood during a service on Sunday evening before detonating an explosive vest, according to the interior ministry.

It said the attacker was affiliated with the jihadist group Islamic State (IS). There was no immediate claim from the group itself.

Photos and video from inside the church showed a heavily damaged altar, pews covered in broken glass and blood spattered across the walls.

Witness Lawrence Maamari told AFP news agency that “someone entered [the church] from outside carrying a weapon” and began shooting. People “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”, he added.

Another man who was in a nearby shop said he heard gunfire followed by an explosion that sent glass flying. “We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” Ziad said.

It was the first such attack in Damascus since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December, ending 13 years of devastating civil war.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch said in a statement: “The treacherous hand of evil struck this evening, claiming our lives, along with the lives of our loved ones who fell today as martyrs during the evening divine liturgy.”

According to initial information, the bomb blast occurred at the entrance to the church, resulting in the deaths of people who were both inside the building and in the immediate vicinity, it added.

The patriarchate called upon Syria’s interim authorities to “assume full responsibility for what has happened and continues to happen in terms of violation against the sanctity of churches, and to ensure the protection of all citizens”.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said specialised teams from his ministry had begun investigating the circumstances of what he called a “reprehensible crime”.

“These terrorist acts will not stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace,” he added.

The office of UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, condemned the attack and urged Syrians “to unite in rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement and the targeting of any community”.

US special envoy Tom Barrack said: “These terrible acts of cowardice have no place in the new tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving.”

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa – whose Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is a former al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria and is designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US and UK – has repeatedly promised to protect religious and ethnic minorities. However, Syria has been rocked by two waves of deadly sectarian violence in recent months.

IS has frequently targeted Christians and other religious minorities in Syria.

In 2016, the group claimed a series of blasts near the Shia Muslim Sayyida Zeinab shrine in a southern suburb of Damascus, which killed more than 70 people.

IS once held 88,000 sq km (34,000 sq miles) of territory stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq and imposed its brutal rule on almost eight million people.

Despite the group’s military defeat in Syria in 2019, the UN has warned that the threat posed by IS and its affiliates remains high.

A report published in February warned that the group might take advantage of the transition in Syria to surge attacks and make the country a renewed hub for recruiting foreign fighters.

It estimated that IS had between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, with most of them, including key leaders, based in Syrian territory. About 300 fighters were based in the central Badia desert, which served as a centre for planning external operations, it said.

More than 9,000 IS fighters are being detained prisons spread across north-eastern Syria and 40,000 other people linked to IS, mostly women and children, are held in several camps.

(BBC News)

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China strongly condemns US attacks on Iran

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China strongly condemns the U.S. attacks on Iran and bombing of nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday.

The spokesperson made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States carried out strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran.

The actions of the United States seriously violated the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East, the spokesperson said.

China calls on the parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians, and start dialogue and negotiation, the spokesperson said.

China stands ready to work with the international community to pool efforts together and uphold justice, and work for restoring peace and stability in the Middle East, the spokesperson said.

(Xinhua)

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