|
|
|
WEEKLY UPDATE
Strawberry gene could boost vitamin C in food
PARIS: Molecular biologists say they have identified a gene in ripe strawberries that could help create vitamin-drenched, transgenic food of the future.
The gene, called GalUR, encodes an enzyme in strawberry plants that helps to convert a protein called D-galacturonic acid to vitamin C, according to a study led by Victoriano Valpuesta, of Spain’s University of Malaga.
They tested the same gene in a weed called thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), which is the best-researched plant in the world because its genetic code has been fully unravelled.
Genes that had been tweaked to over-express the enzyme churned out two or three times the amount of ascorbic acid, as vitamin C is called.
Other plants that use these genes could be engineered so that they too have high vitamin levels, the study suggests.
“The identification of the GalUR gene provides a new tool whose commercial application may have a substantial impact on the production of this highly valuable compound.” —AFP
Man disappears with pet tiger
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian man who kept a tiger as a pet has disappeared from his home, along with his family and the big cat, as authorities sought to question him, a newspaper reported on Monday.
The New Straits Times, which on Sunday carried a front-page picture of the animal being ferried around a northern Malaysian town in an open-backed jeep, said businessman Zaitun Arshad was sought because it was illegal to import or to keep tigers in Malaysia without a licence.
The paper quoted Zaitun as saying he obtained the 18-month-old male tiger last month after it was trapped.
Malaysia has an estimated 500-600 tigers, about 10 per cent of the world population of the protected species. Numbers have plummeted in recent decades due to poaching and habitat loss. — Reuters
Hundreds try to save whales
PERTH: Hundreds of people rushed to a West Australian beach on Tuesday to help save six Gray’s Beaked whales which were stranded in shallow water, officials said.
The local department of conservation brought in slings and rescue equipment to pull the whales away from shore while hundreds of volunteers worked in shifts to keep the animals cool and calm. “The strategy now will be to put the animals in slings and tow them by boat to deeper waters where it is hoped they will swim free,” said department spokesman Nigel Higgs. — AFP
Heavy air pollution costs Philippines’ top cities
MANILA: Heavy air pollution in the Philippines’ four largest metropolitan areas costs the country $400 million every year, nearly one per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), the World Bank said on Wednesday.
Reducing air pollution in Manila, Baguio, Cebu and Davao should be a priority because the health-related costs of dirty air are taking 0.6 of the country’s GDP, the World Bank said in a country report released Monday.
The health costs due to air pollution in these four cities, which account for more than a quarter of the Philippines’ urban population, “has been estimated to be more than $400 million per year”.
With growing vehicle ownership in the Philippines, transport is a significant contributor to air pollution, the report said. “Although there is no single ‘magic formula’ to address this problem, determined government policy actions backed by resources and strong public support can yield significant results as already shown by neighbouring countries.” — AFP
Ghost ship
CANBERRA: Australian police said that they were baffled by the discovery of a ghost ship full of rotting fish — but no crew or life rafts — drifting off the remote northwest coast of Australia.
The 20-metre High Aim 6, registered in Taiwan and flying an Indonesian flag, was intercepted by the Australian navy last week about 300 km west of the fishing port of Broome after it was spotted drifting aimlessly.
Police have launched an international investigation in a bid to track down the owners or crew of the boat. — Reuters
Computer chips worth £4.6m stolen
LONDON: Thieves stole 4.6 million pounds worth of computer chips on Sunday from an unattended truck near London’s Heathrow Airport, police said.
The shipment of Pentium 4 chips had been flown into Britain from Miami, Florida and was en route to an unknown destination, London’s Metropolitan Police said.
The consignment was inside an unattended American Airlines truck at a trading estate near the airport, when thieves drove away in the vehicle some time before 11:15am, police said. — AFP
Youngest to sail Atlantic
LONDON: A 15 year old Briton, Seb Clover, has become the youngest person ever to sail solo across the Atlantic Ocean, local media reported on Sunday.
Clover, who left the Canary island of Tenerife on December 19 in his 10-metre boat, arrived at the West Indian island after completing the crossing in 24 days.
Seb Clover had only modest wishes after his welcome by a small but enthusiastic crowd in Antigua — a cool lemonade and a good night’s sleep. For the longer term, Clover is thinking of taking part in some major races, if he can find a sponsor.
His father, Ian Clover, a sailing instructor, said he has been preparing his son for the epic trip since Seb was 12. — AFP
|
|
|
|
