New Delhi, Jan 2: At least 12 people were killed and 11 others injured after heavy snowfall and flash floods swept through several Afghan provinces over the past three days, according to Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).

Quoting ANDMA spokesperson Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, Tolo News reported that the floods caused widespread destruction to housing, with 274 homes completely destroyed and another 1,558 partially damaged.

The latest toll again highlights Afghanistan’s acute vulnerability to extreme weather and natural disasters.

Analysts told Tolo News that the human cost of the floods is compounded by their long-term economic impact, particularly on already fragile household and local economies.

They warned that recurring floods continue to erode livelihoods and deepen poverty across affected regions.

New Delhi, Jan 02: In a landmark achievement for Indian medicine, the Ophthalmology Department at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), Delhi Cantt has successfully performed India’s first-ever 3D Flex Aqueous Angiography with iStent, combining advanced imaging with minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. Conducted with the new stand-mounted Spectralis system and a state-of-the-art 3D operating microscope, this pioneering procedure places the Armed Forces Medical Services at the forefront of global ophthalmic care.

Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness, has long challenged clinicians with its silent progression. This breakthrough offers unprecedented real-time visualisation of aqueous outflow pathways, enabling surgeons to deliver precise, targeted interventions and significantly improve patient outcomes.

As the first-of-its-kind in the country, the integration of 3D Flex Aqueous Angiography with iStent, a Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery sets a new benchmark in glaucoma care, ensuring enhanced intraoperative imaging, and better long-term results. For the Armed Forces community, it represents not only a medical milestone but also a strategic leap in safeguarding vision and operational readiness.

New Delhi, Jan 02: The consumption of wearable healthcare technology, including blood pressure monitors and ultrasound patches, can increase 42-fold worldwide by 2050, approaching two billion units yearly and emitting 3.4 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to an analysis.

China is projected to generate the most yearly greenhouse gas emissions from wearable healthcare electronics in 2050, followed by India. The analysis is published in the journal Nature.

The environmental footprint is estimated alongside ecotoxicity and e-waste issues posed by the devices. A kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent is a unit measuring the climate impact of greenhouse gases emitted by comparing their potential for warming to that of carbon dioxide.

Researchers from the US’ Cornell and Chicago universities estimated that a wearable healthcare device could be emitting up to six kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent during its entire lifetime, from raw material extraction through manufacturing to disposal.

The researchers also showed that the use of recyclable or biodegradable plastics offers only marginal benefits, whereas substituting critical-metal conductors and optimising circuit architectures can significantly reduce impacts without compromising performance.

The team’s engineering-based framework of assessing a device’s footprint during its lifecycle “holds promise for establishing (an) ecologically responsible innovation in next-generation wearable electronics.”

The researchers conducted a ‘life cycle assessment’ of four devices they said represented wearable electronics in digital healthcare — a non-invasive continuous glucose monitor, a continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor, a blood pressure monitor (BPM) and a point-of-care ultrasound patch.

The devices were selected for the analysis based on clinical relevance, diversity of sensing modalities and coverage across the technology readiness spectrum.

“(A) cradle-to-grave analysis of representative wearable healthcare electronics (glucose, cardiac and blood pressure monitors and diagnostic imagers) generates full-spectrum environmental impact metrics, identifying warming impacts of 1.1-6.1 (kilograms carbon dioxide)-equivalent per device,” the authors wrote.

“The global device consumption is projected to increase 42-fold by 2050, approaching two billion units annually and generating 3.4 (metric tonnes of carbon dioxide) – equivalent emissions alongside ecotoxicity and e-waste issues,” they said.

By 2050, non-invasive continuous glucose monitors could surpass current global smartphone sales, estimated at 1.2 billion units in 2024, the team said.

They added that the market share is initially dominated by continuous ECG and blood pressure monitors, but by 2050, continuous glucose monitors dominate (72 per cent), followed by continuous ECG (19 per cent) and blood pressure monitors (eight per cent).

Udaipur, Jan 02: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that an alarming trend of white-collar terrorism is emerging in the country, wherein highly-educated people are engaging in anti-social and anti-national activities.

Singh pointed at the November 10 car bomb blast near the Red Fort in Delhi, where the perpetrators were found to be doctors.

“Today, an alarming trend of white-collar terrorism is emerging in the country. Highly-educated people are working against society and the country,” Singh said at the 104th foundation day event of Bhupal Nobles’ University here.

“The perpetrators of the (Delhi) bomb blast were doctors – those who write ‘Rx’ on prescriptions, yet have RDX in their hands. This highlights the need for knowledge to be accompanied by values and character,” the defence minister said.

“The purpose of education is not only professional success but also the development of morality, ethics and human character,” he said.

The explosives-laden i20 car that detonated outside the Red Fort on November 10, killing 15 people, was driven by Dr Umar-un-Nabi.

The probe unravelled a ‘white-collar’ terror module, leading to the arrests of three doctors — Muzammil Ganai, Adeel Rather and Shaheena Saeed — among others.

Singh added that knowledge leads to competence, which leads to prosperity, and prosperity leads to righteousness, and ultimately, true happiness comes only from righteousness.

“Any education system that cannot fulfil this objective, which does not impart humility, a sense of character and ‘dharma’ (righteousness) along with knowledge, is incomplete,” Singh said.

“When I talk about religion, it should not be associated with going to the temple, mosque or church for prayer. Religion is a sense of duty. Education devoid of religion and morality will not be useful to society, and sometimes it can even prove fatal. This is why educated people are sometimes found to be involved in crimes,” Singh said.

Terrorists are not necessarily illiterate; they can hold university and college degrees, yet they become terrorists because they lack wisdom, the defence minister said.

“Therefore, wisdom is essential,” he said.

Singh also said that many defence startups are doing remarkable work in the country.

“I am confident that in the next 15-20 years, India will become fully self-reliant in weapons,” the defence minister said.

He also said that artificial intelligence, machine learning and other technologies are transforming people’s lives and work, and they must be used positively to drive India’s development.

India is the world’s fourth-largest economy, which is on track to become the third-largest by 2030, Singh said, noting that universities have a big role to play in this journey.

He also emphasised the importance of understanding the delicate balance between self-respect and ego, and urged people not to cross the fine line between the two.

“While the feeling of self-respect is important, it should never transform into arrogance,” Singh said.

Motivating students to have a big heart, Singh said, “Do not work with a small mind. The bigger your heart, the more the feeling of happiness.”

Calling teachers the strongest pillars of education, he said, “In India, teachers are viewed with respect. They have been the initiators of the greatest social changes in the country.”

He added that values are very important in life, and students should not develop a sense of ego.

Today, the world is facing problems such as environmental issues, health crises and digital ethics, which cannot be solved with a single discipline, Singh said.

“Solutions can only be found through a multidisciplinary approach. Universities must teach the students not only what to think, but also how to think. They must create an environment where students can think holistically,” he said.

“Mere publication in journals cannot be the ultimate goal of research; its goal should be to bring about changes on the ground, whether in policymaking or in finding solutions to other social problems. Universities should promote solution-driven research,” he added.

Chittorgarh MP C P Joshi, Nathdwara MLA Vishvaraj Singh and other political leaders were present on the occasion.