Saudi Arabia unearths 56 million year old marine fossils
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia Geological Survey (SGS) has made a groundbreaking discovery of 56-million-year-old marine fossils in the Ras Al-Ru’us sedimentary formation in the Kingdom's northern border region. The fossils, embedded within limestone layers, date back to the early Eocene period and include bony fish, notably extinct catfish species.
Tariq Aba Al Khail, SGS spokesperson, emphasized the significance of this as the first discovery of vertebrate fossils from the early Eocene in Saudi Arabia. The find provides crucial insights into the region's paleogeographic history and ancient ecosystems.
This discovery joins a series of notable fossil finds in the Kingdom, including extinct mammals in the Nefud region and parts of a 37-million-year-old whale in Al-Qurayyat. Together, these finds enrich understanding of Earth's prehistoric environments.
The SGS, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, plans to establish a geological museum to showcase these fossils and other geological treasures from Saudi Arabia.
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Centre further tightens wheat stock limit for wholesalers, retailers & processors
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday further tightened wheat stock holding norms for wholesalers, small and big chain retailers, and processors to curb hoarding and check price rise.
"As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat, the central government has decided to revise the wheat stock limit applicable until 31st March 2025," the food ministry said in a statement.
According to the revised norms, wholesalers are now allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 1,000 tonne instead of 2,000 tonne, retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne, while big chain retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne earlier.
Processors will be allowed to maintain 50 per cent instead of 60 per cent of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months till April 2025.
The stock limits on wheat were first imposed on June 24 and later revised to tighten the norms on September 9 in order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation.
The ministry said all wheat stocking entities are required to register on the wheat stock limit portal (https://evegoils.Nic.In/wsp/login) and update the stock position every Friday.
If the stocks held by entities are higher than the prescribed limit, they should bring the quantity to the prescribed stock limits within 15 days of the issue of the notification.
Any entity which is found to have not registered on the portal or violates the stock limits will be subject to suitable punitive action under the Essential Commodities Act,1955.
The food ministry is maintaining close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country.
