Free Press Bulletin: Top 5 news updates of February 19, 2022; watch video

Here are the top 5 news updates of February 19, 2022:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that India's rising capability in the drone sector will give the world a new leadership, as he flagged off 100 'kisan drones' in different parts of the country for spraying pesticides and other farm materials. In his speech, the PM said a new culture of drone start-ups is getting ready in India. Their numbers will soon be in thousands from over 200 now, leading to the generation of employment opportunities on a massive scale. He said his government will ensure that there is no impediment in the sector's development and has already undertaken several reforms and policy measures to facilitate its rise. This is an example of how high the country can fly if policies are right, Modi said, noting that drones were mostly associated with the defence sector until a few years back.

India today won the right to host the 2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) session in Mumbai in an unopposed race, during the 139th IOC Session in Beijing, China. The Indian delegation comprising the country's first individual Olympic gold medallist (Beijing 2008, shooting) Abhinav Bindra, IOC Member Nita Ambani, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra, and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur made the presentation to IOC members during the 139th IOC Session, being held alongside the ongoing Winter Olympics in Beijing. This will be the second IOC session in India. The country last hosted an IOC session in 1983 in New Delhi.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today inaugurated 12,430 new smart classrooms in 240 government schools of the national capital at Rajkiya Kanya Vidyalaya in Rajokri. Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi's Home Minister Satyendar Jain were also present on the occasion. Notably, this comes a day ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab where the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting. With the inauguration of 12,430 new smart classrooms, the tally of new classrooms built by the Kejriwal government reached 20,000 which is synonymous with 537 new school buildings, as per a statement issued by the Delhi government. The specialities of the new building constructed by the government include the designer desk in the classrooms, libraries, multipurpose halls for the conduct of events.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Congress candidate Sidhu Moosewala from Mansa seat have been booked for violating the model code of conduct. They were found campaigning in Mansa after the 6 pm electioneering deadline on Friday, the last day for campaigning, an FIR lodged against them said. The case was lodged on a complaint by Aam Aadmi Party candidate Vijay Singla from Mansa. CM Channi on Friday had gone to Mansa to campaign for Moosewala. They have been booked under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC, the FIR revealed. Meanwhile, polling for 117 assembly seats in Punjab is scheduled to be held on February 20 while counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Days after avian influenza was reported in Maharashtra's Thane, this infection has now been detected among birds at a poultry farm in Vasai-Virar region of its neighbouring Palghar district, an official today. Palghar's district veterinary officer Dr Prashant Kamble said that some birds at the poultry farm died, after which their samples were sent for testing. "The test results confirmed that the birds were infected with H5N1 virus. The reports were received on Friday night," he said, adding that the situation is not serious. Earlier this week, bird flu cases were detected in Thane district after around 100 birds died at a poultry farm in Vehloli village in Shahapur tehsil. Their samples were sent to a Pune-based laboratory for test and the results confirmed that they died due to H5N1 avian influenza.