1. 'One In A Million': Super Earth Found 25,000 Light Years Away From

Our Planet

The Astronomers from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand have

found a new planet in the galaxy that bears several similarities to our planet Earth.

The planet is reportedly called 'One In A Million planet', as mankind has always been searching for a planet similar to Earth.

However, as per their observations, the planet is huge and bigger in comparison to our planet.

This new planet orbiting around a dim dwarf star or a brown dwarf which is located 25,000 light-years away from us, which is in the centre of the Milky Way.

The planet takes around 617 Earth days to complete a full orbit around its host star.

The Super-Earth is significantly larger than Earth and can be considered to be as big as Neptune.

The distance between the newly found alien planet and the host star is similar to between where Earth and Venus orbit around the sun.

2.Government implements Shekatkar Committee recommendations

related to creating border infrastructure

The Union Government has implemented Lt. General D B Shekatkar

Committee's recommendations related to creating border infrastructure.

These were related to speeding up road construction leading to socio-

economic development in the border areas.

On the matter related to creating border infrastructure, the Centre has

implemented recommendations to outsource road construction work beyond

optimal capacity of Border Roads Organization.

3.Centre launches scheme for 100% solarization of Konark Sun Temple

& Konark town in Odisha

Union Government has launched a scheme for 100 per cent solarization of Konark

Sun Temple and Konark town in Odisha.

The scheme is launched with an objective to take forward the Prime Minister’s vision

to develop the historical Sun Temple town of Konark as Surya Nagri.

The scheme envisages setting up of 10 Megawatt grid connected solar projects and

various solar off-grid applications like solar trees and solar drinking water kiosks.

25 crore rupees has been earmarked for this project.

The Scheme will meet all the energy requirements of Konark town with solar energy.

Konark Sun Temple, located in the East Odisha near the sacred city of Puri.

Built in 13th century by King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1238-1264). Its scale, refinement and conception

represent the strength and stability of the Ganga Empire as well as the value systems of the historic

milieu.

The temple is designed in the shape of a colossal chariot. It is dedicated to the sun God.

It marks the highest point of achievement of Kalinga architecture depicting the grace, the joy and the

rhythm of life all its wondrous variety.

It was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984.

There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple. Some say the wheels

represent the 24 hours in a day and others say the 12 months.

The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week.

Sailors once called this Sun Temple of Konark, the Black Pagoda because it was supposed to draw

ships into the shore and cause shipwrecks.

4.Tripura gets its first international waterway with River Gomti:

Tripura got its first ever international waterway as five new protocol routes

were announced between India and its eastern neighbour Bangladesh.

Sonamura-Daudkandi route on Tripura’s River Gomti and Rajshahi-Dhulian-

Rajshahi routes were added to the list of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP)

routes.

The Protocol on Transit and Trade (PTT) through inland waterways was first

signed between the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of

India in 1972.

At present, there are 10 Indo-Bangla Protocol routes.

5.Naxal-affected Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh secures 1st position

in providing employment under MNREGA

In Madhya Pradesh, Naxal-affected Balaghat district has secured the first

position in the state in terms of providing employment to rural job card

holders under MNREGA.

One lakh 23 thousand 64 laborers are getting employment. In the current

financial year 2020-21, an amount of Rs 20 crore has been spent on wages for

MGNREGA works in this district.

A total of 5,246 works are in progress in 684 gram panchayats in Balaghat

district.

Due to this one lakh 23 thousand 64 laborers of the district have got

employment.

6.Dia Mirza's tenure as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador extended till 2022

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) extended environmentalist and

actor-producer Dia Mirza's term as its National Goodwill Ambassador for another two

years till the end of 2022.

The actress is also the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Advocate.

As a Goodwill Ambassador, Mirza will continue work with the UN to further spread

the message on key areas including clean air, clean seas, wildlife protection and

climate change.

One of Dia's big campaigns during her first tenure as the ambassador was

#BeatPlasticPollution helped in highlighting the issue at the highest levels and led to a

clarion call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India Single Use Plastics free

by 2022.

7.Manoj Ahuja appointed as the new CBSE chairman :

Odisha cadre IAS Manoj Ahuja has been appointed the new chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Ahuja is currently working as Special Director, Lal Bahadur ShastriNational Academy of Administration, Department of Personnel and Training.

Ahuja will replace Anita Karwal as the chairman of the CBSE.

8.V. Vidyavathi becomes new DG of Archaeological Survey of India

IAS officer V. Vidyavathi is appointed as the new Director-General of

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

She is a 1991 batch Karnataka cadre officer.

Vidyavathi will be serving in the rank of Additional Secretary to the

Government of India.

Her appointment is confirmed by the order of the Appointments

Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

9.JP Morgan's new chairman, Leo Puri :

Leo Puri has been announced to become the new Chairman of JP Morgan

South Asia and South East Asia.

He will replace Kalpana Morparia who will be serving as the chairman

until the 1st Quarter of 2021.

Leo Puri has earlier served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UTI

Mutual Fund.

10. R Sreelekha to become Kerala's first woman DGP

Kerala Police will get its first woman Director General when R.Sreelekha assumes

office as the new head of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services on June 1.

Presently an Additional Director General of Police, she currently heads the Jail

Department.

The Kerala government elevated her as DGP, as two DGP will be retiring from

service soon.

An 1988 batch IPS officer, she became the first woman Superintendent of Police in

1991 and since then, has had a glittering career.

11.Manipuri Doctor Conferred 'Order of Rising Sun' by Japan

Thangjam Dhabali Singh from Manipur has been conferred the 'Order of Rising Sun'

by the Japan government for promoting a better understanding of Japan in India and

deepening ties between the two countries.

The 'Order of the Rising Sun' is conferred on persons with achievements in international

relations, promotion of Japanese culture, environmental preservation, welfare or

achievements in their fields.

It was constituted by Japanese Emperor Meiji in 1875.

Thangjam Dhabali Singh is an allopathic doctor by profession and founder of the

Manipur Tourism Forum (MTF). Singh had organised the 70th anniversary of the Battle

of Imphal of the Second World War. Several Japanese citizens, including officials from

the Embassy of Japan in India, had participated in the event.

12. Australia restrict use of saliva, sweat to shine ball under COVID-19 guidelines

Australia will not allow the use of saliva or sweat to shine the ball once

cricket training resumes in the post-COVID-19 world.

There is speculation that the use of saliva to shine the ball will be

stopped to cut down the risk of the highly contagious infection with

reports suggesting that the ICC is considering the possibility of allowing

the use of artificial substances to polish the red ball under the

supervision of umpires.

Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in consultation with medical experts

has come up with guidelines, restricting the use of saliva and sweat to

shine the ball

13.Virat Kohli only cricketer in Forbes’ top 100 highest-paid athletes of 2020

India captain Virat Kohli remained the only cricketer to be included in the list of top 100

highest-paid athletes of 2020 put forward by Forbes magazine.

According to Forbes, Kohli had an estimated total earnings of $26 million ($24m from

endorsements and $2m from salary/winnings).

He made a jump of over 30 places from 2019, as he was positioned at the 66th spot in this

year’s list.

This is the second year in a row that Kohli has become the only Indian to feature in the

Forbes’ list of top 100 highest-paid athletes.

In 2019, he was positioned at the 100th place with an estimated earnings of $25 million.

Meanwhile, Swiss tennis great Roger Federer has become the first from his sport to top

Forbes’ list of highest paid athletes.

14. Union Culture Minister releases ebook “Prof. B. B. Lal -India Rediscovered” in New

Delhi

On the occasion of the centenary year of the great archaeologist Professor B. B. Lal, Union

Culture Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel released an e-book “Prof. B. B. Lal -India

Rediscovered” in New Delhi.

The book is a centenary special edition which has been prepared by the Ministry of culture

in collaboration with Prof B B Lal Centenary Celebration Committee.

The book is a tribute from the Ministry of culture for his immense contribution to the field

of archaeology.

Braj Basi Lal, better known as B. B. Lal, is an Indian archaeologist. He was the Director

General of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1968 to 1972 and has served as Director

of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla.

15. “Vijyant at Kargil: The Life of a Kargil Hero”: biography of Captain Vijyant

Thapar

Penguin Random House will publish the e-book titled as “Vijyant at Kargil:

The Life of a Kargil Hero”.

The book is“first-ever” biography giving a rare insight into the heart and

mind of one of India’s bravest soldiers.

The book has been penned by Vijyant’s father Colonel VN Thapar and

writer Neha Dwivedi, ( daughter )

Captain Vijyant Thapar was only 22 when he was martyred in the Kargil

war in 1999.