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Commercial development of gene-edited food now legal in England

Commercial development of gene-edited food now legal in England

Science
BBC NewsBy Pallab GhoshScience correspondentGene-edited food can now be developed commercially in England following a change in the law. Supporters of the technology say it will speed up the development of hardier crops that will be needed because of climate change.Critics say that the change could bring ''disaster'' to our food production and the environment.Gene editing involves making precise changes to an organism's DNA to enhance certain characteristics.What is gene-edited food and is it safe to eat?The new law also opens the door to the development of gene-edited farm animals, but a further vote by MPs will be required before it is allowed, again only in England. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have not permitted the commercial use of gene editing.BBC NewsGene edit...
Bruce Springsteen urges unity in Jeep commercial

Bruce Springsteen urges unity in Jeep commercial

Entertainment
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Rock 'n' roll icon Bruce Springsteen can now be seen urging Americans to come together in a commercial for Jeep called "The Middle." The 2-minute ad was released Saturday on the eve of the Super Bowl NFL football game. Advertisement The video shows Springsteen traveling in the Midwest region of the United States in a Jeep. Seen along his journey are a chapel, train, wheat field, diner, horse and American flags. It has gotten nearly 8 million views since it was posted on YouTube. "It's no secret. The middle has been a hard place to get to lately -- between red and blue, between servant and citizen, between our freedom and our fear. Now fear has never been the best of who we are," Springsteen said. "And, as for freedom, it's not the property of just the fortunate few. It bel...
Lenders give clean chit to Reliance Commercial Finance as GT audit finds no fraud

Lenders give clean chit to Reliance Commercial Finance as GT audit finds no fraud

Finance
NEW DELHI: A group of lenders, including the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), has given clean chit to Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd (RCFL), the NBFC arm of Reliance Capital, after an independent forensic audit report from Grant Thornton did not detect any fraud in the RCFL account. As per the report, of the total consolidated debt owed to banks, RCFL accounted for Rs 11,620 crore, Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHFL) Rs 7,430 crore and Reliance Capital (standalone) Rs 6,750 crore of debt. The consolidated debt includes term loans, cash credit and non-convertible debentures. Last year, lenders had given a go-ahead to appoint Grant Thornton to conduct a forensic audit of two Reliance Capital arms, the listed-RHFL and RCFL. According to banking sources, the conso...
Iran sends warships to Gulf of Aden to protect commercial vessels

Iran sends warships to Gulf of Aden to protect commercial vessels

Business
Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Iran dispatched a destroyer and helicopter carrier to the Gulf of Aden to protect its trade ships, a senior Iranian military official announced on Monday. The destroyer Sahand and the carrier Khark will escort ships "to provide security for Islamic Republic vessels in international waters," Iranian Army Chief of Staff Adm. Habibollah Sayyari said. The Sahand, built in Iran and launched in 2018, is regarded as the most advanced warship in Iran's navy. It is equipped with anti-aircraft artillery, torpedoes and surface-to-surface missiles. The United States has sought to to assemble a coalition to protect shipping in the area following attacks in May and June on oil tankers. In July, a British-flagged oil tanker was seized by Iran after an Iranian tanker was seized by the U...
Commercial fishing to blame for planet’s declining shark numbers

Commercial fishing to blame for planet’s declining shark numbers

Science
Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Shark populations are shrinking across the globe and new research suggests commercial fishing is to blame. Scientists with the Zoological Society of London analyzed shark population dynamics in ecosystems throughout the world's oceans. The data suggests shark numbers are lowest in areas closest to population centers and large fish markets. Sharks aren't just less abundant in places featuring significant commercial fishing activity, they're also smaller. The data showed marine predators are smaller and less abundant within 750 miles of populations with more than 10,000 people. The new analysis -- detailed this week in the journal PLOS One Biology -- showed sharks are also smaller in warmer waters. "Human activity is now the biggest influence on sharks' distribution, overt...