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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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
