Heat illness may be viewed as a range of ailments related to the body’s inability to cope with heat. It includes minor problems such as heat rash (prickly heat), heat cramps, and heat exhaustion. Heat stroke is the most severe form and is defined as a body temperature higher than 41.1°C (106°F) associated with neurological (brain) dysfunction. Exertional heat stroke (EHS) generally occurs in young individuals who engage in strenuous physical activity for a prolonged period of time in a hot and sometimes even in a not-so-hot environment. It can start as heat cramps that can be completely disabling and typically occur during or after hard work and are caused by electrolyte deficiencies that result from extended periods of intense sweating. Symptoms include painful spasms of leg, arm or abdominal muscles, heavy sweating and thirst. Drinking plenty of water or electrolyte fluids are the suitable first aid. EHS happens when the individual’s capacity to dissipate or drive away the heat produced by overactive muscles falls short. The temperature rises to such high that the body becomes a pressure cooker and starts (am tempted to say) cooking our internal organs, inflicting severe tissue damage resulting into multi-organ failure. We frequently read news about young men (and women) collapsing and dying with no apparent reason when made to undergo severe physical excretion for endurance tests during recruitment in the Indian police force or military. High (body) core temperatures damage the internal organs, especially the brain. The main reason is the fluid loss in the form of sweat, sometimes even ‘one and half’ liter in one hour and three liters in two hours. Along with sweat we also lose electrolytes. Enormous fluid loss can also lead to dangerously low blood volume and lead to dangerously low blood pressure. This can break down the body’s cooling system that demands increased blood flow to the skin to take away the heat from body’s core. Electrolyte imbalance adds insult to injury, causing irregularities in heart function. Most people who are killed by heat stroke die when their heart stops pumping effectively (mostly the cause of death is written as ‘heart failure, or cardiac arrest and that is why heatstroke death numbers seem so low). Even people who survive are likely to have permanent brain damage if their core temperature has been over 40.6°C (105°F) for more than an hour or two. The risk factors for EHS in such young men and women depend on the number of active sweat-glands, acclimatization, outside temperature, humidity, hydration status and activity-related factors (duration of exercise). Acclimatization means gradual introduction of a sportsperson or a worker to the ‘outdoor’ task. For instance, the new recruit can start his/her exercise/work only in the morning or for gradually increasing time periods during the first few days. Such acclimatization on the playground or outdoor places like construction sites, or mines, should take place under close supervision by experienced trainers/safety managers; the new sportsperson/worker should have standing permission to withdraw to cooler conditions any time symptoms of intolerance occur. People with diabetes, high bold pressure or any other chronic illnesses must be kept under watch. During heat waves even acclimatized people may warrant a change in timings. Overweight people are at a greater risk because every movement requires greater muscular effort and therefore generates more heat than in a normal weight people. In addition, obesity often means an inactive lifestyle with resulting lower aerobic capacity and total absence of heat acclimatization.

NEW DELHI: In 15 months time, Survey of India, the country’s principal mapping agency, will map the entire stretch of the Ganga using geographic information system (GIS) technology and provide high-resolution maps to the government. It will help river cleaning authorities in getting minute details of sewage and effluent discharge outlets and identify pollution hot-spots up to 10 km on both sides of the river. “The high resolution map will help us in keeping tabs on sources of pollution and taking quick corrective measures. Such scientific map is necessary for effective execution and monitoring of the river cleaning works,” said Rajeev Ranjan Mishra, director general of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

BANGKOK: Indian male boxers endured a mixed day at the Asian Youth Championships, where three advanced to the medal rounds and qualified for the Youth Olympics, while six others lost in the quarter-final stage on Tuesday. Ankit Khatana (60kg), Bhavesh Kattimani Kumar (52kg) and Aman (+91kg) won their respective quarterfinal bouts to enter the semifinals and book a berth in the Youth Olympics, which will take place in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires later this year. While Ankit defeated Korea's Seomho Shin by unanimous decision, Bhavesh got the better of Malaysia's Rasdenal Haikal Muhamad, also a 5-0 verdict. Aman, on the other hand, had to toil hard for his 3-2 triumph over China's Ma Jinyang.

MANDLA (MADHYA PRADESH): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the promulgation of an ordinance on rape demonstrated his government's determination to act on the issue, but stressed that people had to respect their daughters and make their sons more responsible for an atmosphere of safety. Modi also pitched for a social movement to ensure the safety of women and girls while addressing a rally here. "Shivraj ji (Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan) just referred to the capital punishment provided in the ordinance for rape against minors and I could see that it (the remark) received cheers from everyone present here," he said. "There is a government in Delhi which listens to your voice and takes decisions. So, the Centre has made a provision for capital punishment to the monstrous intent," he said while referring to the recent ordinance. The Union Cabinet on April 21 approved the ordinance under which the death penalty could be awarded to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years of age, amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua + and Surat + and the rape of a teenager in Unnao.

BEIJING: China failed to get India's support for its ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure project at the end of a foreign ministers' meeting of a major security bloc on Tuesday, ahead of an ice-breaking trip to China this week by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Belt and Road is Chinese President Xi Jinping's landmark scheme to build infrastructure to connect China to the rest of Asia and beyond, a giant reworking of its old Silk Road. India has not signed up to the initiative as parts of one key project, the $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, run through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Whether or not China will be able to win India round to the Belt and Road will likely be a key measure of the success of PM Modi's trip to China to meet Xi for an informal meeting on Friday and Saturday.

With gossip mills constantly churning about their alleged impending wedding, there is much hullabaloo surrounding the much awaited Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh wedding. While neither of them has come out in open and admitted their relationship in public, they haven't denied it either. Not too long ago there were reports of Ranveer spilling the beans on their alleged relationship, and now, in a recent interview with Times Now, Deepika got candid about her equation with the 'Gully Boy' actor and went on to talk about the marriage rumours. Talking about the bond she shares with Ranveer, Deepika stated, "For me, he is a friend. He is a confidante. He's someone I can talk to. There is debate, there is conversation. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but I guess that's what makes the friendship beautiful." On being probed into her, admitting Raveer as her boyfriend, the leggy lass said, "It is what it is and I wouldn't challenge it." Finally, talking about her marriage plans, the actress revealed, "It's definitely part of my life. It's definitely something that I want for myself. But when that happens, how it happens, I think it's just instinct." She concluded by stating, "I think it's important to know when it's right."

Tens of thousands of air passengers were stranded Tuesday as aviation giants Lufthansa and Air France were hit by strikes that crippled traffic at several major European airports. Germany's biggest carrier Lufthansa was forced to cancel 800 out of 1,600 scheduled flights, including 58 long-haul flights, as German public sector workers including ground crew and airport firefighters walked out between 5:00 am and 6:00 pm (0300 and 1600 GMT). Tuesday's "warning strike" hit Germany's biggest airport Frankfurt as well as other regional hubs such as Munich, Cologne and Bremen.

Decorated shooter Heena Sidhu has won her second medal of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, taking gold in the women's 25m pistol (Precision/Rapid) finals at the Belmont Shooting Centre on Tuesday. The 28-year-old - recipient of the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) Shooter of the Year award in February for her success in 2017 - shot a CWG record 38 to cap off a dominant performance in the eight-member final.