India-Pakistan Tensions: The Government of India has announced a nationwide civil defence mock drill on May 7, 2025, amid heightened tensions with Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists in Jammu and Kashmir. During the mock drill, an air raid warning siren will be activated to simulate emergency conditions. As part of the exercise, civilians—including school students—will take part in training sessions designed to improve their preparedness and ability to protect themselves during hostile attacks. One common question that arises is: What is an air raid siren? How does it work, and will our smartphones respond to it? In this article, we will try to answer all your questions.  What Is An Air Raid Siren? An air raid siren is a loud, distinctive alarm used to alert the public of imminent threats such as aerial attacks or missile strikes. In some situations, these sirens are also activated during natural disasters. Typically, the siren sounds for about 60 seconds, signaling people to seek immediate shelter. Once the air raid siren stops, it generally indicates that it is safe for people to leave their shelters and resume normal activities.  Air Raid Siren: How This Technology Works   The technology is expected to be used for the India’s mock drill siren remains unclear. However, globally, air raid sirens operate using various mechanisms—ranging from air-powered systems and electric devices to advanced electronic models. Air-powered sirens create loud sound waves by channeling air through spinning discs with small holes.  In contrast, electric sirens generate sound using diaphragms or horns. More recently, electronic sirens with built-in speakers have become increasingly common, delivering digitally controlled tones with improved accuracy. Many of these modern systems can also connect to radio frequencies, enabling broader and more efficient communication.  Air Raid Siren: Will Smartphones Issue Alerts During Mock Drill? There has been speculation that smartphones might emit alerts during the mock drill. To understand this possibility, we looked at similar systems tested in other countries. For example, the UK tested an emergency mobile alert system two years ago in 2023. During the test, all 4G and 5G smartphones received an emergency message along with a loud beep and vibration—regardless of whether the phone was on silent mode. The alert lasted for approximately 10 seconds. Adding further, if your mobile phone is switched off, you will not receive the alert message.  Air Raid Sirens: Sound Patterns And Their Purpose Air raid sirens typically use two distinct sound patterns to convey different messages. The first is a wailing or rising-and-falling tone, which lasts for one to three minutes. This wavering pitch signals an immediate threat, such as an airstrike or missile attack, and indicates that people should take shelter without delay. The second is a steady, flat tone that does not rise or fall. This “all clear” signal usually lasts about one minute and informs the public that the danger has passed and it is safe to come out of shelters and resume normal activities. 

New Delhi: Led by affordable devices, 5G smartphone shipments accounted for 86 per cent of the overall Indian market in the January-March quarter, marking a 14 per cent annual increase, according to a new report. Notably, 5G smartphones priced between Rs 8,000 and Rs 13,000 recorded over 100 per cent YoY growth, reflecting surging demand for affordable 5G access, said the report by CyberMedia Research (CMR). Vivo led the 5G smartphone market with a 21 per cent market share, followed by Samsung at 19 per cent. The premium segment continued to grow, buoyed by strong demand for 5G-enabled and AI-ready smartphones, said the report. “The Rs 10,000 and lower 5G smartphone segment witnessed over 500 per cent YoY growth in Q1 2025. This reflects strong consumer appetite for affordable 5G smartphones,” said Menka Kumari, senior analyst at CMR. Brands such as Xiaomi, POCO, Motorola and Realme are leading this surge, she mentioned. While the affordable smartphone segment grew a modest 3 per cent YoY, the value-for-money segment declined by 6 per cent, reflecting a continued shift toward premium smartphones. Apple posted a 25 per cent growth YoY, and captured an 8 per cent market share, driven by strong demand for premium smartphones and a broader retail presence in India. The iPhone 16 series, including the iPhone 16e, significantly contributed to this growth, with Apple’s market share in the super-premium segment rising 28 per cent YoY and the uber-premium segment (Rs 1,00,000 and above) up 15 per cent, the report mentioned. In 2025, CMR anticipates the Indian smartphone market to witness moderate growth, with shipments growing in single digits. “In the quarters ahead, India’s smartphone market will be shaped by three converging forces: the mainstreaming of affordable 5G, the rapid infusion of on-device AI, and the growing acceleration for supply chain localisation,” said Prabhu Ram, VP at CyberMedia Research (CMR). As the premium segment accelerates on the back of AI integration, brands that fail to evolve beyond price-based competition in the value-for-money segment will face margin and relevance pressures. “Concurrently, affordable 5G is a growing baseline expectation, amidst intensifying competition. With geopolitical shifts accelerating local manufacturing, India is poised to become both a key market and a critical node in the global smartphone value chain,” Ram added.

A 40-year-old woman has claimed that ChatGPT detected her cancer symptoms, which even the doctors were unable to identify at first, and was initially diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis and acid reflux.  As per media reports, Lauren Bannon in the United States revealed that in February 2024, she first noticed that she was having difficulty bending her fingers. The doctors diagnosed her with rheumatoid arthritis. Later, she began experiencing excruciating stomach pain and lost 14 pounds in just a month. According to doctors, it was caused by acid reflux.  Unconvinced, Bannon turned to ChatGPT for an answer, which suggested that she might have Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland. Bannon went to her doctor, who said that she could not have the disease as there was no family history of it. However, Bannon insisted on being tested. An ultrasound of Lauren’s thyroid revealed two cancerous lumps in her neck. According to media reports, Bannon said that she did not have the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease. If she had not looked at ChatGPT, she would have just taken the rheumatoid arthritis medications, and the cancer would have spread from her neck to other parts of her body. She added that without ChatGPT, she would have never discovered the disease, and that it saved her life. Similar case- ChatGPT suggests blood cancer in woman In a similar case, a 27-year-old woman in Paris revealed she experienced persistent night sweats and itchy skin in early 2024. Her medical test results showed no warning signs. However, according to  ChatGPT, she might have blood cancer. Months later, when she consulted doctors due to increasing fatigue and chest pain, her scans showed a sizable mass on her left lung. It was Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, which ChatGPT had pointed out almost a year ago.