India's First ISS Astronaut Returns! Shubhanshu Shukla Splashes Down Near San Diego
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Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Delhi Confidential: Space In Textbook
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's journey to the International Space Station (ISS) has already found a place in a new NCERT textbook for Class 5 released this month. The book for environmental studies has a chapter on Earth, which begins with what Shukla said in a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ISS on June 28: 'The Earth looks completely one, no border is visible from outside. It seems that no border exists, no state exists, no countries exist.' Addressing a gathering at a book launch in Delhi on Thursday, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said on a lighter note that he had requested Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, who spoke before him at the event, to make a long speech so that he could get some time to formulate his thoughts. 'But he did not listen to me… I keep talking and when I do, people are troubled,' Hosabale said, making the whole auditorium break into laughter. Some wondered if this was a reference to Hosabale's recent statement seeking a debate on the inclusion of 'secular' and 'socialist' in the Preamble during Emergency. On authoring a book, Hosabale said he did not have that capacity to write one, but when people ask, he simply says he has no time. When President Droupadi Murmu gave away the awards for the cleanest cities on Thursday, the awardees queuing up to go to the stage included some VVIPs, apart from the mayors and municipal commissioners representing their cities. While Punjab Governor and Chandigarh administrator Gulab Chand Kataria received the award for Chandigarh, Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood collected the award on behalf of New Delhi Municipal Council, though NDMC does not function under the Delhi government. For Noida, the award was handed over to UP Urban Development Minister A K Sharma. Before the award ceremony began, the awardees were reminded of the protocol — not handshakes or touching the feet of the President. Two former US ambassadors have been in the news for their high-profile appointments in the past one week. As Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former foreign secretary, gets nominated to the Rajya Sabha, his former colleague, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, has been appointed as an advisor to the US India Strategic Partnership Forum. Sandhu will also helm the foreign policy advocacy organisation's geopolitical institute. Sandhu had contested the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in 2024 but lost to Congress's Gurjeet Singh Aujla.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Honey turns sour as beehives in Karnataka come under attack
Bengaluru: Beekeepers across the state are facing a serious new threat: the invasion of small hive beetles, which is wreaking havoc on bee colonies and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. With over 60,000 beekeepers and an annual honey production of around 1,200 metric tons, the state has long been a buzzing hub for apiculture. However, these industrious insects are now under siege as the fast-spreading pest feeds on pollen, honey, and even dead bees. The larvae of small hive beetle are particularly damaging, destroying hives by consuming the protein-rich pollen and secreting a foul mucus that sours the honey and drives entire colonies to flee. The result is empty hives, plummeting honey yields, and heavy financial losses for apiculturists. What used to be prevalent in parts of southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Burma has now entered the Indian subcontinent as well, impacting apiaries across India. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Scientists from the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru, who have been closely tracking this pest for the past year, have started ringing the alarm bells loudly. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo The control measures suggested by them include regular inspection of the bee colonies and maintaining hive hygiene, stopping the collection and supply of infected colonies from neighbouring states or within the state, burning and destroying the pest-affected hives, and completely cleaning the hives. Dr KS Jagadish, professor and head of the department of apiculture at UAS, revealed these beetles entered India through West Bengal and have now spread across the country. "Interstate transportation of colonies has contributed to the spread. While it impacts both species of honey bees — Apis cerana and Apis mellifera — the former has suffered the worst as the entire colony flees if infected. These species cannot withstand even a slight disturbance to their colonies and immediately, vacate the colony if there is an external invasion," he explained. Dr Vijay Kumar, another scientist at UAS, said, "We have been advising apiculturists to adopt the best hygiene practices, including cleaning the bottom board once every 8 to 10 days. The beetle is just 2 to 3 millimetres in size and hard like rubber but can lay 300 to 400 eggs. Hence, one should not allow the accumulation of dust and broken twigs at the bottom boards. During the shifting of colonies, if one comes across dark brown coloured brood, they must carefully verify and assess for these beetles. If beetles are found, farmers should immediately pick them manually and kill them. Even though we have been working on few bio control agents, currently, there is no other alternative to contain its spread." Mahadeva Swamy, an apiculturist from MM Hills, said, "Scientists and horticulture officials visited our farm for a survey. Luckily, we are free of infection as we do not source any colony from outside. However, there have been reports that in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and other southern states, it is spreading fast."
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
In a 1st, NCPOR sends team to study ocean data in Greenland
Panaji: As part of its strategy to expand its research in the Arctic region, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) dispatched a research team to Greenland. The NCPOR's expedition is driven by the rapid warming of the Arctic, which will have a huge impact on India's monsoon patterns and the economic security of the country due to sea level rise. A nine-member team of Indian researchers will depart on Friday for Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, where they will embark on the RV Skagerak, a 49m-long research vessel owned by the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The team will start the expedition on July 21 from Iceland and conclude the research on Aug 7. 'Till now, we have been working on land and fjords in the Arctic. As the Arctic is warming three times higher than the global average, the Arctic Ocean is experiencing consequences like potential disruption of major oceanic circulations and melting of its vast sea ice,' said NCPOR director Thamban Meloth. India and its relationship to the Arctic date back to Feb 1920, when it signed the Svalbard Treaty in Paris. The NCPOR researchers have been observing Arctic glaciers for their mass balance in order to compare them with Himalayan glaciers. India's association with the Arctic is a part of the interlinked polar programme consisting of activities in the Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayas, regions where the NCPOR is conducting extensive research. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo 'It is a completely new expansion. We have never done something like this before. Our first dedicated expedition to the Arctic will be focused on the East Greenland Sea, situated between Iceland and Greenland, which will provide oceanographic data and samples on the impact of ongoing warming in this region,' said Meloth. The major currents from the Greenland Sea flow into the North Atlantic Ocean. 'The ice around Greenland is melting heavily these days and fresh water is entering the ocean, and there are large changes that they are seeing. We are focusing on specialised measurements and if the team finds something interesting, then we will continue to conduct expeditions in these waters,' said the NCPOR director. The NCPOR lacks an ice-class research vessel, which is why it approached the University of Gothenburg for this expedition. The Vasco-based research institute is already working on a proposal to purchase a dedicated, ice-class research ship.
