1) Genome Sequencing: A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes.
- Genome sequencing is figuring out the order of DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome—the order of As, Cs, Gs, and Ts that make up an organism’s DNA.
- The human genome is made up of over 3 billion of these genetic letters.
- In more simple terms, Sequencing a gene is like reading a book one letter at a time to look for any spelling mistakes.
- The Central government has recently asked States and Union Territories to increase genome sequencing of positive samples amid a rise in COVID cases in China.
2) Keki Mistry committee: SEBI accepted the Keki Mistry committee proposals towards gradually phasing out open market share buybacks
- SEBI decided to increase the minimum utilisation of the amount for buyback via stock exchanges to 75% vs 50%. It will also create a separate window on stock exchanges for share buyback.
- The committee also proposed reducing the cooling-off between buybacks. In a consultation paper, the committee had asked for wider powers for SEBI to levy penalties and take other disciplinary actions such as suspension of directors
3) Frozen coral: Scientist recently freeze Great Barrier Reef coral in world –first trial.
- The Great Barrier reef coral has suffered four bleaching events in the last seven years including the first ever bleach during a La Nina phenomenon
- Cryomesh is a specially fabricated mesh used as substrate in cryopreservation. This is lightweight and can be manufactured cheaply. It better preserves coral and has the properties of cryoplates. The mesh technology will help store coral larvae at -196°C (-320.8°F).
- Cryogenically frozen coral can be stored and later reintroduced to the wild. This could eventually help to rewild reefs threatened by climate change.
4) Asian Giant Tortoise: The soft release of Asian Giant Tortoise in Intanki National Park of Ngaland, is an attempt to boost conservation and repopulating the species. The soft release is a process of gradually releasing captive-raised species into the wild.
- They are found in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia and other places.
- IUCN: Critically Endangered, CITES :Appendix II, WPA of 1972 : Schedule IV
- Threats: Hunting for consumption, habitat loss, anthropogenic activities like construction and slash and burn.
5) Rule 267: The Rajya Sabha defines Rule 267, under ‘suspension of rules’, as an instance where “any member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day and if the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being.”
- Therefore, it is simply the provision for a House member to request the Chairman to suspend issues listed out for discussion on a particular day in order to deliberate a separate issue.
- The rule shall not apply where a specific provision already exists for suspension of a rule under a particular chapter of the Rules.
