Genetic Study may Track Dogs' Travels with Humans

A genetic study of a sexually transmitted canine cancer has offered clues to how dogs may have traveled around the world with their humans. Scientists analyzed the DNA of 440 nine tumors that exist today. Additional mutation allowed the scientists to trace the tumor's family tree. 

The research estimated the time since the mitochondrial transfer events by counting the number of mutations. One of them really seems to just track around maritime trade routes, in the last few hundred years. We found it along the coast of West Africa, in the Cape Vede Islands, Brazil, South Africa, India and some parts of southern Europe.

South Kashmir is in Flood Alert

Flood alert has been declared for Anantnag and Pulwama district of South Kashmir as river Jhelum was flowing close to danger mark at Sangam.

According to PTI, the Chief Engineer,

Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Javed Jaffer said,

 

"Flood alert has been declared for Anatnag and Pulwama districts as river Jhelum is flowing at 22 feet at Sangam, one feet below the danger mark,".

People living in and around flood prone areas in these districts have been advised to shift to safer areas.

The water level in Jhelum and its tributaries rose sharply following heavy rainfall since early on Wednesday.
The weatherman has forecast more rains over the next 48 hours in Kashmir.

Rain 13% above normal in INDIA

The monsoon has got off to a good start after a slightly delayed onset, with widespread showers over the past five days taking the countrywide rain tally to 13% above normal so far this month.

The surge in rain has been aided by a favourable weather system in the Indian Ocean that is expected to last another 4-5days, a senior Met official said.

The northern limit of the monsoon currently cuts through the Southern tip of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, southern Odisha and eastern part of Bengal.  IMD officials expect the monsoon to cover more parts of Odisha and Bengal  and enter Bihar and Jharkhand in the next 3-4 days.

A top IMD scientist said a rain-bearing system called the Madden Julian Oscillation was passing through the Indian Ocean and had energized the Bay of Bengal arm of Monsson.

"MJO is likely to continue bringing rain for the next four days or so before it moves towards the western Pacific" he said.