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Friday, July 31, 2020

Scientists map how Covid-19 spread indoor via aerosol

Washington: Scientists have simulated how the novel coronavirus spreads indoors via aerosols as infected people speak or exhale, and have found the features of good ventilation that can filter virus particles out of the air, information that may help businesses and schools reduce COVID-19 transmission when they reopen.

The researchers, including Jiarong Hong from the University of Minnesota in the US, modeled indoor airborne virus transmission via aerosols, which are tiny droplets ejected from people’s mouths when they exhale, speak, or cough.

Scientists solve the mystery of the Stonehedge Megaliths

Scientists have solved the mystery of the origin of Stonehenge megaliths. Using geochemical data, researchers have determined that 50 of the 52 large stones, sarsen megaliths, originated from the West Woods in Wiltshire, England.

According to a recent report, The sarsens were erected at Stonehenge around 2500 BC. The largest stands 9.1 metres tall. The heaviest weighs about 30 tonnes.

Mercury levels in Amazon fish exceed WHO’s safe limit: Study

According to a recent study, mercury contamination in 28.7% fish sampled from five regions in Amapa State, Brazil, exceeded the WHO’s safe limit for human consumption

Nearly one-third of the fish in the Brazilian Amazon state of Amapa have such high levels of mercury caused by illegal mining

The researchers sampled 428 fish from 18 sites across inland and coastal aquatic systems.

NASA launches Mars rover to look for signs of ancient life

Cape Canaveral: The biggest, most sophisticated Mars rover ever built — a car-size vehicle bristling with cameras, microphones, drills and lasers — blasted off Thursday as part of an ambitious, long-range project to bring the first Martian rock samples back to Earth to be analysed for evidence of ancient life.

NASA’s Perseverance rode a mighty Atlas V rocket into the morning sky in the world’s third and final Mars launch of the summer.

China and the United Arab Emirates got a head start last week, but all three missions should reach the red planet in February after a journey of seven months and 300 million miles (480 million kilometers).

Allowing English players in 2019 IPL was part of WC plans: Morgan

Southampton: England’s limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan has revealed that his teammates” participation in the 2019 IPL, which was part of a well thought out plan, played a key role in helping the side claim its maiden World Cup title.

Read More ... Allowing English players in 2019 IPL was part of WC plans: Morgan

Education in Covid-19 scenario: Challenges of Online Education in India

Amid pandemic, schools, college, and university education are being adversely affected. It has posed many unexpected challenges for teachers, parents, and students.

Considering the present situation it is difficult to predict when schools, colleges and universities will reopen.

Teachers and school administrators have been advised to continue communication with students through virtual lectures or portals like Massive Open Online Courses.

Australia to make Google and Facebook pay for news content

Canberra: The Australian government said on Friday, July 31 it plans to give Google and Facebook three months to negotiate with Australian media businesses fair pay for news content.

In releasing a draft of a mandatory code of conduct, the government aims to succeed where other countries have failed in making the global digital giants pay for news siphoned from commercial media companies.

Google said that Australia’s draft code was a heavy-handed step that could impede the digital economy.

Algorithm finds hidden connections between historic paintings

Researchers have created a new algorithm that matches paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum through hidden stylistic connections

According to Engadget, It is developed by researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and Microsoft.

Young children carry higher levels of Covid-19: Study

Washington: Children under the age of five have between 10 to 100 times greater levels of genetic material of the coronavirus in their noses compared to older children and adults, a study in JAMA Pediatrics said Thursday.

Its authors wrote this meant that young children might be important drivers of Covid-19 transmission within communities — a suggestion at odds with the current prevailing narrative.

The paper comes as the administration of US President Donald Trump is pushing hard for schools and daycare to reopen in order to kickstart the economy.

Physical distancing linked with significant reduction in COVID-19 transmission: Study

Implementation of physical distancing policies nationally is associated with significant reductions in the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19, and reduced community mobility, according to researchers, including one of Indian origin.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE on Thursday, found that physical distancing policies enacted nationally in 46 countries prevented an estimated 1.57 million cases of COVID-19 over a two-week period, representing a 65 percent reduction in new cases.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

#IndiasTigerSuccess trends on Twitter on Global Tiger Day

Tiger, the National Animal of India is one of the most iconic animals on Earth and July 29 is observed as Global Tiger Day across the world every year in order to raise awareness about the declining population of the tigers and to save them from going extinct.

Global Tiger Day, also called the International Tiger Day, is an annual event marked to raise awareness for tiger conservation and it and came into existence in 2010 in Russia during the signing of Saint Petersburg declaration by 13 tiger range countries.

People must not pay more fares when booking tickets via travel agents on Vande Bharat flights: Govt

New Delhi: Passengers booking tickets through travel agents on international flights operating under the Vande Bharat Mission must not pay more than the fares mentioned on Air India’s website, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Wednesday.

Read More ... People must not pay more fares when booking tickets via travel agents on Vande Bharat flights: Govt

Anti-doping measures at IPL: NADA might outsource sample collection

New Delhi: In charge of dope control at the IPL for the very first time, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) might have to outsource the task of sample collection given the high cost of handling the exercise when the event is held in the UAE.

The next best option for NADA will be using the services of UAE’s National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) or contact Sweden’s International Dope Test and Management (IDTM) which has done sample collection and testing for the last 12 seasons of the IPL.

Pak summons senior Indian diplomat over ”ceasefire violations”

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday, July 29 summoned a senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission here to register its protest over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

Read More ... Pak summons senior Indian diplomat over ”ceasefire violations”

Iran launches underground ballistic missiles during exercise

Tehran: Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guards launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a fake aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported Wednesday, the latest barrage in a drill that saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches.

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the US military’s Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.

HCQ works in early stages of COVID-19 infection: US Prez Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump has again defended the use of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, saying many frontline medical workers agree with him that the malaria drug works in the early stages of COVID-19 infection, despite mounting evidence that it is ineffective in treating the disease.

In May, Trump disclosed that he was taking daily doses of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus after consulting the White House doctor.

“I happen to believe in it (hydroxychloroquine). I would take it. As you know, I took it for a 14-day period, and I”m here. I happen to think it works in the early stages. I think frontline medical people believe that too — some, many,” Trump told reporters at a White House news conference on Tuesday.

Raju Bhavsar on the twist in Indian sports due to Pro Kabaddi League

The professional-level kabaddi league in India had a huge impact on Indian sports. Raju Bhavsar, who played for the national kabaddi team for almost a decade is an expert in this field.

Although cricket is without any doubt the most popular sport in India, kabaddi had captured the attention of sport fans thanks to the Pro Kabaddi League. Since the first League in 2014, the numbers increased to 316 million views and impressions.

India have bowling attack to rattle Australia including Smith, Warner: Gambhir

Mumbai: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes that the Virat Kohli-led side has the bowling attack to rattle the Australian batting line up including Steve Smith and David Warner, who were serving ball-tampering bans in the previous series Down Under.

India is slated to tour Australia in November for a grueling four-Test series.

WhatsApp will soon let you use the same number on multiple phones

WhatsApp users will soon be able to use the app on multiple devices such as smartphones or tablets with a single account.

Read More ... WhatsApp will soon let you use the same number on multiple phones

Tobacco use accelerates transmission of Covid-19: Health ministry

New Delhi: Smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to Covid-19 as smoking increases the possibility of transmission of the virus from hand to mouth, the Union Health Ministry has said, warning that the use of tobacco products can increase the severity of respiratory infections and make people susceptible to coronavirus.

In its document ‘Covid-19 Pandemic and Tobacco Use in India’, the ministry said experts have confirmed that smokers are more likely to develop severe symptoms or die from Covid-19, as it primarily attacks the lungs and warned against the use of any such products.

Smokers, it warned, are likely to be more vulnerable to Covid-19 as the act of smoking means that fingers (and possibly contaminated cigarettes) are in contact with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of the virus from hand to mouth.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

China holds first Foreign Ministers meeting with Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan on Covid-19: BRI

Beijing: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday, July 27 held the first joint virtual conference with his counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal during which he mooted a four-point plan to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, boost economic recovery and resumption of the BRI infrastructure projects.

Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar and Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali attended the virtual meeting, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry press release.

Bangladesh thanks India for providing diesel locomotives

Dhaka: Bangladesh on Monday thanked India for providing 10 broad gauge diesel locomotives, with its Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen saying it would help bring both sides even closer and further take the ‘rock-solid’ bilateral relations to new heights.

“This would help bring our two peoples even closer,” the foreign minister said at the handing over ceremony of locomotives which was conducted online in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ashwin bats for “disallowing” run where non-striker backs up too far

New Delhi: India’s premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin wants technology to be used to track the batsman at the non-striker’s end who is backing up too far, which he believes is an unfair advantage for the batting side.

He has always been consistent about his stand and suggested that the technology used to check front foot no balls can be also used to keep a tab on non-strikers backing up even before the bowler reaches the popping crease.

Here’s how Trump’s opposition to mail voting hurts the GOP

Tallahassee: Republicans once dominated voting by mail in Florida. But that was before President Donald Trump got involved.

After months of hearing Trump denigrate mail-in balloting, Republicans in the critical battleground state now find themselves far behind Democrats in the perennial push to urge their voters to cast ballots remotely. While Democrats have doubled the number of their voters who have requested mail ballots compared to 2016, Republicans have increased their numbers by about 20 per cent since the same time.

Skoda Auto India expands online sales platform, offers new features

Mumbai: Skoda Auto India on Tuesday announced the expansion of its online retail sales platform, which will now include a live consultation suite and contactless virtual product demonstration option with an integrated network of its over 80 dealerships across the country. The Czech carmaker had rolled out the digital sales platform last year.

Read More ... Skoda Auto India expands online sales platform, offers new features

Anand finally gets a win in Legends of Chess tourney

Chennai: Viswanathan Anand finally snapped the string of defeats at the Legends of Chess online tournament, beating Boris Gelfand of Israel 2.5-0.5 in the seventh round.

Playing against long-time rival after six straight losses, Anand won his first game of the tournament despite conceding early advantage on Monday night.

The Indian ace won in 45 moves with black pieces and continued the good work by claiming the second game in 49 moves.

Nissan forecasts $6.4 billion annual net loss amid pandemic

New Delhi: Crisis-hit Japanese automaker Nissan on Tuesday warned of a massive $6.4 billion net loss for the current fiscal year as it reels from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Read More ... Nissan forecasts $6.4 billion annual net loss amid pandemic

Planning for Olympics in a pandemic has echoes of 1920 Games

Dusseldorf: Olympic athletes competing for gold medals in a world reeling from a pandemic? It won”t be the first time.
A century before the Tokyo Games were postponed because of coronavirus, the Olympics were held in the Belgian city of Antwerp following the Spanish flu pandemic.

The 1920 Games were meant to symbolize a recovery from World War I, not a health crisis. Belgium, a battleground for the opposing powers, was the host country and the five rings of the Olympic flag flew at an opening ceremony for the first time.

Researchers build AI tool capable of identifying individual birds

Researchers have built an AI model capable of telling individual birds apart. The research is published in the British Ecological Society journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution.

Read More ... Researchers build AI tool capable of identifying individual birds

World Hepatitis Day: Study says 31-55 age group most vulnerable

New Delhi: People in the age bracket of 31-55 years were found to be the most vulnerable group to hepatitis in an internal study conducted by a Gurgaon-based laboratory, and released on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day Tuesday.

CORE Diagnostics, a NABL-accredited clinical laboratory, recently conducted the study on hepatitis using data of over 7,500 patients tested over a span of 12 months.

Monday, July 27, 2020

UK launches new weight loss strategy after Covid-19 ‘wake up call’

London: The UK government on Monday launched a new anti-obesity drive to help people lose weight and become healthier after what has been pegged as a Covid-19 “wake up call”.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has himself lost weight since his own hospitalization after testing positive for the deadly coronavirus earlier this year, said that getting fitter is important to help protect against the virus as well as the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) from added pressures.

Haryana to host 2021 Khelo India Youth Games after Tokyo Olympics

New Delhi: Haryana will host the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the state’s chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union sports minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Saturday. The Games will be held in Panchkula. The announcement was made via video conference.

“Usually the Khelo India Youth Games take place in January of every year. However, this time owing to the pandemic, we have to postpone it,” Rijiju said.

Nityanand Rai recalls valour of CRPF during 1959 Chinese attack on Ladakh

New Delhi: Union Minister Nityanand Rai on Monday recalled the valour and sacrifice of the CRPF personnel outnumbered during an attack by heavily armed Chinese troops in 1959 in Hot Springs in Ladakh, which is one of the friction points in the current Sino-India standoff.

Rai, the union minister of state for home, was speaking here while officiating as the chief guest of the 82nd Raising Day celebrations of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) headquarters here.