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Have Scientists Discovered Life Beyond Our Solar System?

Mitali k

For the first time, scientists have found the strongest signs that there might be life on a planet outside our solar system. There is a planet far, far away—124 light-years from Earth—called K2-18b, which is twice the size of the Earth. Scientists from the University of Cambridge looked at this exoplanet using the super-powerful James Webb Space Telescope and they just found something really exciting!

Also read, Aditya L-1: India’s Solar Mission Reaches Sun’s Orbit

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They have found possible evidence that this faraway planet orbiting another star may be home to life. The telescope spotted special chemicals on this exoplanet that are only made by living things here on Earth.

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This means that either there is life on K2-18b or that these special chemicals were produced in another way that we do not know about. But, before we get too excited, scientists say we need more proof. A study detailing the findings was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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UNESCO Honours India’s Ancient Texts

Mitali k

Two very important ancient Indian books—the Bhagavad Gita and Bharata’s Natyashastra—have been added to a special list by the The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”) called the Memory of the World Register. This list keeps and protects important documents that have helped shape history and culture all around the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this is a proud moment for every Indian because it shows the world how important and valuable India’s culture and wisdom are. These books have inspired people for centuries and now the whole world recognises their importance. With the latest additions, the Memory of the Register now contains 570 entries.

What is UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register?

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is a global initiative that was launched in 1992 with the aim of “guarding against the collective amnesia, calling upon the preservation of the valuable archive holdings and library collections all over the world, and ensuring their wide dissemination”.

Fun Fact: India now has 13 entries on this Register.

What Are These Ancient Texts?

Bhagavad Gita: It’s a famous conversation between Lord Krishna and the warrior Arjuna. It talks about life, duty, and how to live wisely. Many people see it as a guide for spiritual and moral lessons.

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Natyashastra: Written by an ancient sage named Bharat Muni, this book is like the “rulebook” for Indian performing arts like dance, music, and theatre. It has been the foundation for these arts for thousands of years!

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India to welcome 8 Cheetahs from Botswana

Mitali k

India is bringing 8 cheetahs all the way from Botswana, a country in Africa, as a part of its ongoing Project Cheetah initiative. The translocation will take place in two phases, with four cheetahs expected to arrive by May 2025 and the remaining four in the subsequent months. Cheetahs disappeared from India many years ago, and now the government wants to bring them back to help protect and grow their population. The cheetahs coming from Botswana will be settled at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Most of the cheetahs that were brought to India from Africa under this initiative are currently living in the Kuno National Park, also in Madhya Pradesh. The Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary will become a second home for these big cats. In fact, two African cheetahs were recently released into the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Watch full video on Cheetah- The Fastest Mammal on LandLeopard Facts For Kids 

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What is Project Cheetah?

Project Cheetah is a big plan started by India to reintroduce cheetahs back into the country after they went extinct here about 70 years ago. The last Indian cheetah was seen in the 1950s, and since then, there have been none left in the wild.

To fix this, India brought cheetahs from Africa (countries like Namibia and South Africa) and released them into special protected areas. The first group of eight cheetahs arrived in September 2022, and more have come since then. The goal of Project Cheetah is to help cheetahs live and grow in India again, so they can be part of the wild and help keep nature balanced.

Did you know?

Currently, there are 29 cheetahs at the Kuno National Park. Eight adult cheetahs and five cubs have died since the project began.

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World Mourns Pope Francis

Mitali k

Pope Francis, the elected leader of the Catholic Church, passed away at the age of 88, just one day after celebrating Easter. He passed away after a period of ill health at his home in Vatican City, the traditional residence and workplace of the Popes. His funeral was held on April 26 and was attended by leaders from across the world like the Indian President Droupadi Murmu, the American Donald Trump, Former American President Joe Biden, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Watch full video on #PELE : All About The Football Legend, ‘Pelé’

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What will happen now?

A new Pope will be chosen by the Catholic Church’s highest-ranking priests, known as cardinals. After the funeral of Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals (the senior most clergy of the Catholic Church) will gather from around the world at the Vatican City for a special meeting called the Conclave. The College of Cardinals will cast their votes to decide the next Pope. Four cardinals from India will be eligible to vote in the Conclave. Of the 252 cardinals, only 135 have the right to vote in the papal election. To be elected Pope, a cardinal must receive at least two-thirds of the votes, and this voting process can last for several days.

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About Pope Francis

Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936. Pope Francis was the first pope from South America and was known for caring a lot about helping poor people, promoting justice, and bringing people together. He was chosen to lead the Catholic Church in March 2013.

Did you know?

Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent country, completely surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy.

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India Freezes the Indus Waters Treaty

Mitali k

The Indian Government has announced many stringent measures that it has decided to take against Pakistan because of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam,

Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025. Leaders from across the world have condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. One of the main measures taken by India is suspension of the landmark Indus Waters Treaty 1960 (“Treaty”) with Pakistan. “The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”, said an Indian government official.

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About The Indus River System

The Indus system comprises the main river, Indus, and five left bank tributaries, i.e Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Jhelum, and Chenab. The Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej are called the Eastern Rivers, while the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus are known as the Western Rivers. The water from these rivers is very important for both India and Pakistan. India is called the upper riparian because it is located upstream, where the rivers begin, while Pakistan is the lower riparian, downstream from India. This means India is in a position to control how much water flows down to Pakistan.

What is the Indus Treaty?

The Treaty is an official agreement that was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan to document the understanding between the two countries on how to distribute and share the water from the Indus River and its branches. The Indus river and its branches flow through both countries, and after India and Pakistan became separate nations in 1947, there were problems about who could use the water. To solve this, the World Bank helped India and Pakistan sign the Treaty to share the waters of the cross-border rivers. This Treaty is very important because millions of people in both countries rely on these rivers for water and food.

According to the Treaty:

  • India gets control of three rivers called the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) and can use all their water.
  • Pakistan gets control of the three Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab), which carry most of the water.
  • India is allowed to use the Western Rivers for generating hydroelectric power and for limited agricultural purposes, but it cannot construct infrastructure that blocks or diverts the flow of water from these rivers into Pakistan

That Treaty withstood three wars between India and Pakistan – in 1965, 1971, and

1999.

What does the suspension of the treaty mean?

The suspension of the Treaty means that there is a threat to Pakistan from India that it could, if and when it chooses to, restrict the flow of water from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab into Pakistan. The decision to suspend the Treaty is likely to have a big impact on Pakistan.

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How will this impact Pakistan?

 

The Indus River system is Pakistan’s main source of water supporting tens of millions of people. This network provides about 23% of the country’s water for farming, which is vital because agriculture supports 68% of people living in rural areas. Due to the suspension of the Treaty, there could be less water available, which would make it harder for farmers to grow food and could cause food shortages. Pakistan already has problems with managing water, like running out of groundwater and not having enough places to store water, so losing river water would make things even tougher for people living in the countryside.

 

Other Measures taken by the Indian government

 

The Indian Government has also closed off the main border crossing linking the two countries, Attari-Wagah crossing. This includes suspending the movement of people and goods. The Indian Government has also ordered expulsion of diplomats and for certain Pakistani visa holders to leave India.

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