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This anti-aircraft system can intercept multiple drones with lasers

New Delhi (NVI): Israeli defence manufacturer Rafael recently tested its counter-UAS system Drone Dome, which can identify and intercept moving targets using a high-powered laser beam.

Drone Dome is a counter unmanned air system anti-aircraft system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which consists of electronic jammers and sensors to detect, identify and neutralize both micro and mini-UAVs.

The demonstration was carried out in a desert area with several types of drones, including commercially available quadcopters, Israel Defense magazine reported.

A high-powered laser beam mounted on a jeep, along with the other Drone Dome sensors, detected the threat and enabled the crew to monitor its activity. A three-drone swarm was then neutralized using the lasers. One by one the drones fell from the sky.

The Israeli defence manufacturer exhibited seven drones that were destroyed by the laser. Burned impact areas showed their rotors and motors charred.

Small drones have proven to be a challenge for advanced militaries. In 2018, drones shut down Gatwick airport in the U.K. for about 30 hours, the defense magazine reported.

Small drones have also been used by militant organizations, such as the Islamic State group. And more than a dozen drones damaged oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia in September 2019.

Drone Dome is one of Rafael’s numerous multilayered air defense systems. It also makes the land-based Iron Dome and a naval variant, C-Dome, as well as SPYDER, a surface-to-air missile system designed to counter aircraft, helicopters and UAVs.

More than 100 Indian bird species suffering severe population decline

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New Delhi (NVI): A new study has claimed that India’s bird population is on a steady decline over the past few years. 101 species have been classified as of ‘High Conservation Concern’, and require immediate attention, as per the findings of the report.

The ‘State of India’s Bird Report 2020’ was released at the 13th Conference of Parties of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals in Gandhinagar.

867 species of Indian birds were assessed in the report. Over 10 million observations were uploaded to the eBird platform by more than 15,500 birdwatchers to evaluate the distribution range size of 867 Indian birds, and their trends in abundance in both the long term (over 25+ years) and currently (past 5 years).

As per the report, 58 species on the long-term pattern are in ‘solid decline’ and 77 species in ‘moderate decrease’.

The report found that birds that fed on invertebrate had declined as a whole. While 101 species required ‘immediate concern’, 319 species required ‘moderate concern’, 442 species needed low concern for conservation.

According to the study, the most affected are raptors, migratory shorebirds and habitat specialists, among others.

“The assessment is based on three indices. Two are indices of change in abundance: long-term trend and current annual trend (over 5 years), and the third is a measure of distribution range size,” the report says.

“Using these three indices together with the IUCN Red List (Red List of Threatened Species), each species was classified into categories of conservation concern for India,” it added.

By and large, decrease in species requests investigation into their causes. To ensure the high concern species, consideration from protection approach, the board and subsidising are required.

The number of sparrows was found to be roughly stable across the country, despite declining in major cities.

However, the report highlights a dramatic rise in the number of Indian peafowls (national bird peacock). There has been a 100 per cent increase in the abundance of peafowl across the country over the past decades, as per the report.

Too much indoor reading can result in school myopia among children: Study

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New Delhi (NVI): Children are at the risk of becoming short-sighted unless they spend two hours daily outside and abstain from prolonged interaction with screens and homework books, according to a study.

The new epidemic of myopia in youngsters is because of the amount of time they spend glued to television screens, computers and even books.

Scientists have also said that there will be a rise in the number of people who have chances of becoming blind in later life because of having developed short-sightedness at a young age and having an increased risk of eye problem when they get older.

Myopia, as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which people can see close objects clearly, but objects farther away appear blurred. People with myopia can have difficulty in  clearly seeing a movie or TV screen, a whiteboard in school or while driving.

Myopia occurs if the eyeball is too long or the cornea (the clear front cover of the eye) is too curved. As a result, the light entering the eye isn’t focused correctly, and distant objects look blurred.

According to the study, conducted by Clare Quigley, an opthalmologist at Galway University Hospital, involving the lifestyles and health of 8,568 nine-year-olds, a strong connection emerged between the condition of eye problem with a sedentary lifestyle.

Quigley said that the factors that appear consistently in development of myopia are education and the amount of time spent indoors.

An Australian review paper also found that children who spent time outdoors were clearly at a comparatively lower risk of visual impairment. In another review paper by the University of Cambridge it was found that children with myopia spent only about 3 hours per week outside the home or school. Meanwhile, a study in Taiwan has shown that spending 80 minutes daily outside the home helps keep your eyes healthy.

Therefore, children are encouraged to go outdoors and play and spend more time in the natural light.

Coronavirus: Indians quarantined at ITBP Camp released, death toll soars past 2,000

All 406 people at ITBP Quarantine facility, have now departed to their homes. (Source: @ITBP_official)

New Delhi (NVI): All of the 406 people quarantined at the ITBP facility in Delhi after being evacuated earlier this month from coronavirus-hit Wuhan, have been discharged, Indo-Tibetan Border Police said.

In another update, relieved passengers, who were aboard a coronavirus-wracked cruise ship in Japan , began leaving after testing negative for the disease.

The Diamond Princess has proved a fertile breeding ground for the virus with at least 542 positive cases, and was docked off in Yokohama since February 4, 2020.

Japan faced mounting criticism for its quarantine arrangements as the passengers dispersed.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong recorded its second death caused by the new coronavirus on Wednesday, media reports stated.

The number of deaths from the coronavirus outbreak in mainland China rose by 136, pushing the nationwide death toll to 2,004 as of the end of Tuesday, the country’s National Health Commission reported.

At least 132 of the fatalities were from Hubei Province, the epicentre of the epidemic. Nationwide, there had been a further 1,749 new confirmed cases of which 1,693 were from Hubei, bringing the total number of infections across the country to 74,185.

PM pays tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji

Narendra Modi pays tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister, Narendra Modi today paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his 390th birth anniversary, saying the life of Maratha warrior king continues to inspire millions.

“Bowing to one of the greatest sons of Mother India, the embodiment of courage, compassion and good governance, the exceptional Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. His life continues to motivate millions,” PM Modi said in a tweet.

“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj made a mark as a valorous warrior and an outstanding administrator. From building a strong navy to ushering several pro-people policies, he was outstanding in all spheres. He will always be remembered for his opposition to injustice and intimidation,” the Prime Minister said in another tweet.

Light rains expected in parts of North India from tomorrow

Rainfall
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New Delhi (NVI): Dry weather conditions prevail in most parts in North India and the region has been witnessing increase in temperatures as well. The summer can make its first move soon even as more than half of February has passed.

Due to change in wind directions as well as cloud cover, minimum temperatures over Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi along with north Rajasthan will increase by two to three degrees Celsius, according to Skymet weather.

Parts of Punjab and Haryana are expected to witness some intense rains for the next 2-3 days. Scattered to isolated rains will be seen over rest of the states.

Delhi may see some isolated showers during this time, while parts of West Uttar Pradesh may also see similar conditions, due to western disturbance.

Narnaul in Haryana and Umaria in Madhya Pradesh recorded minimum temperature at 6.0 and 13.0 degrees Celsius respectively.

Apart from this, Amritsar in Punjab recorded minimum temperature at 9.0 degrees Celsius.

Churu in Rajasthan and Raisen in Madhya Pradesh both recorded a minimum temperature at 8.0 degree celcius.

Delhi and NCR region saw a slight drop in minimum temperature to 9.4 degrees Celsius from 10.2 degrees Celsius recorded yesterday.

The maximum temperature today is expected to be around 27 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The overall air quality in the national capital today is in “poor” category.

According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 228 which falls in the ” poor” category.

“No significant change temperature is expected in rest of the country,” it added.

Three militants killed in south Kashmir gunfight

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Mubashir Bukhari

Pulwama (NVI): Three militants including top Hizbul commander were killed in a gunfight with security forces at Tral area of South Kashmir this morning.

According to police, a joint team of security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Diver village of Tral area in South Kashmir. As forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired on the search party, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.

One of the slain militants has been identified as Jehangir Rafiq Wani of Amirabad, Tral who took over as HM commander after death of Hammad Khan in January 2020.

Other two were identified as Raja Umer of Lurgam, Tral and Uzair Ahmad Bhat of Chesti Colony, Baramulla.

Police have recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition from the encounter site.

Trump to inaugurate world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad

New Delhi (NVI): US President Donald Trump will inaugurate the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on February 24, during his two-day India visit.

The US President’s visit is aimed at smoothening ties strained by trade disputes.

Confirming the development, The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) today confirmed that Motera Stadium will be the world’s largest cricket stadium with a sitting capacity of more than one lakh spectators.

“#MoteraStadium Ahmedabad, India Seating capacity of more than 1,10,000 World’s largest #Cricket stadium,” the BCCI wrote on Twitter, while sharing a surreal view of the picturesque stadium.

The US President will visit be attending the event named ‘Namaste Trump’ along with his wife and first lady of the US Melania Trump.

The leaders of China, Japan, and Israel have all visited Ahmedabad since Modi became Prime Minister. It is the biggest city in Gujarat, where Modi made his mark as chief minister before BJP swept to power in 2014.

Ahmedabad municipal commissioner Vijay Nehra, the city’s top civic official, said that authorities had already spent around 300 million rupees on widening roads and improving infrastructure around the new cricket stadium.

The Motera Stadium will dislodge the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the world’s largest cricket stadium, with capacity for 110,000 spectators.

Trump may also visit the famous Taj Mahal monument in the city of Agra, and all leave for police officers in that city has been canceled.

Bypolls to panchayats postponed in J&K due to security concerns

J&K DDC polls: Voting for first phase tomorrow
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Jammu (NVI): By-election to over 12,500 panchayat seats in Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled to be held in eight phases from March 5, were indefinitely postponed today in view of security concerns.

According to an order issued by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar, the polls were being deferred because of “credible inputs from law enforcement agencies”.

The eight-phase polls were earlier scheduled to be held from March 5 to March 20 on a party basis. The polling was slated for March 5, March 7, March 9, March 12, March 14, March 16, March 18 and March 20.

The Model Code of Conduct had already come into force with the announcement of the bypolls and the CEO has already issued two notifications for the first and the second phase of eight-phase.

Panchayat elections were last held in 2018 and were boycotted by the PDP and the NC.

10 Afghan police officers undergo training at Ghaziabad

New Delhi (NVI): 10 senior Afghan National Police officers are undergoing training at Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI), Ghaziabad under the trilateral cooperation between India, Afghanistan and China.

The capacity building program started on February 17. The programme is aimed at further strengthening Indian and China collaboration on Afghanistan, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

A similar joint programme for Afghan diplomats was held at Foreign Service Institute on November 2019.

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