NewsBytes

Army, IAF conduct joint exercise ‘Yudh Kaushal’ in Meghalaya

The Red Horns Division of the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted a two-day joint exercise 'Yudh Kaushal' at Umroi military station in Meghalaya to demonstrate operational capabilities. A defence spokesman said the exercise was conducted at Umroi military station to demonstrate operational capabilities by incorporating helicopters, a plethora of drones in surveillance and armed roles, new generation equipment, force multipliers and supporting arms. He said Lieutenant General Gambhir Singh, the General Officer Commanding the Gajraj Corps, witnessed the Yudh Kaushal exercise on the capture of enemy objectives in a multi-domain environment. The exercise also integrated academia from IIT, Guwahati and the civil defence industry.

Tata Motors starts first hydrogen truck trials on Indian roads

Tata Motors, the country's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, has launched the first-ever trials of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks on Indian roads in line with the country's green campaign to fight climate change. This historic trial, which marks a significant step towards sustainable long-distance cargo transportation, was flagged off by Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari and Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi. The trial phase will span up to 24 months and involves the deployment of 16 advanced hydrogen-powered vehicles with varying configurations and payload capacities. These trucks, equipped with new age Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H2-ICE) and Fuel Cell (H2-FCEV) technologies, will be tested on India's most prominent freight routes, including those around Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Surat, Vadodara, Jamshedpur and Kalinganagar.

Genetics not significant reason for obesity, lifestyle changes must: Experts

Obesity is not solely determined by genetics but is closely linked to health and lifestyle choices, health experts said, emphasising that it is a serious health issue and not just a cosmetic concern. On the occasion of World Obesity Day, Dr Nikhil Tandon, Head of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, explained that circadian rhythm disorders, poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyles, and stress from work and society are major contributors to rising obesity rates in India.

India rope in Dutch legend Taekema to train women's dragflickers

India have roped in Dutch hockey legend Taeke Taekema to train the national women's team dragflickers until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Taeke worked with the Indian Women's Hockey Team to refine their penalty corner conversion abilities during a specialised dragflicking camp organised from February 10 to 16 in Bhubaneswar.

      The camp was held ahead of the recently concluded home leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25, where India competed against top teams, including England, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Taekema, who netted 170 goals in 94 appearances for the Netherlands Men's Hockey Team over 11 years, is widely regarded as one of the world's most feared penalty corner specialists. His illustrious career includes being the top scorer in numerous major international tournaments, including the 2002 and 2006 Men's Champions Trophy, 2006 Men's World Cup, 2008 Olympic Games, and 2010 FIH World Cup. He also served as the assistant coach for the China Women's Hockey Team from 2022 to 2024.

Cheetahs to be introduced in Banni Grasslands of Gujarat, MP’s Gandhisagar sanctuary

After Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, cheetah introduction will be expanded to Banni Grasslands in Gujarat and Gandhisagar Sanctuary of MP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the seventh National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) meeting. African cheetahs were reintroduced at Kuno National Park in two batches in September 2022 and February 2023. “The Prime Minister announced that cheetah introduction will be expanded to other areas, including the Gandhisagar sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and Banni Grasslands in Gujarat,” a government release stated. Banni Grasslands is a 2,500 sq km protected forest in the Kutch district of Gujarat that supports numerous animal genetic resources like Banni buffalo, Kankrej cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and horses. Gandhisagar Sanctuary in eastern Madhya Pradesh spreads over Mandsaur and Neemuch districts. It is known as Nimar region, with borders touching Rajasthan and is more or less dry.

US firm Firefly scores its first moon landing with Blue Ghost spacecraft

Firefly Aerospace succeeded in its first attempt to land on the moon with its uncrewed Blue Ghost spacecraft, kicking off a two-week research mission as a handful of private firms compete to reach the frontlines of a global moon race. The size of a compact car, the four-legged Blue Ghost carried 10 scientific payloads as it touched down near an ancient volcanic vent on Mare Crisium, a large basin in the northeast corner of the moon's Earth-facing side. Firefly becomes the second private firm to score a moon landing, though it declared itself the first company to make a "fully successful" soft landing. Houston-based Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lander made a lopsided touchdown last year, landing mostly intact but dooming many of its onboard instruments.

Sleep apnea can raise risk of Parkinson's: Study

People with obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk of suffering from Parkinson's disease, according to a study. Obstructive sleep apnea is when throat muscles relax during sleep, blocking the airway, causing a person to wake up repeatedly to breathe. This disrupted sleep pattern can lower oxygen levels, affecting the brain. Researchers from the VA Portland Health Care System in Oregon, US looked at rates of Parkinson's disease five years after a sleep apnea diagnosis. They reviewed more than 20 years of medical records to identify nearly 1.6 million older adults who had obstructive sleep apnea. After adjusting for age, sex, and health factors such as smoking, they found among people with sleep apnea, there were 1.8 more cases of Parkinson's disease per 1,000 people compared to people without sleep apnea.

Hydrogen-based fuel cells to ensure uninterrupted power supply for telecom towers

A new hydrogen fuel cell-based backup power solution for telecom towers is set to revolutionise the industry by providing a cleaner, more efficient alternative to traditional diesel generators, the government said. This innovative plug-and-play system aligns with India's renewable energy goals while ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for millions of users across the country, according to Ministry of Science and Technology. For years, diesel generators have been used as backup power sources. However, these generators are costly, inefficient, and contribute significantly to carbon emissions, making them less suitable in the long term. The solution to this problem lies in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, which offer an environmentally friendly, efficient, and reliable energy source.

Disability no bar to become a judge: Supreme Court

Holding that disabled candidates were eligible for appointment to judicial services, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that no person can be denied consideration solely on account of their physical disabilities. “Any indirect discrimination that results in the exclusion of Person with Disabilities, whether through cut-offs or procedural barriers must be interfered with in order to uphold substantive equality…No candidate can be denied such opportunity (appointment to judicial service) solely on account of disability," a Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan said.The top court struck down Rule 6A of Madhya Pradesh Judicial Services Rules which didn’t allow visually-impaired candidates and those with low visibility to join the judiciary. It also quashed the rule which required three-year law practice for visually impaired candidates to become a judge.