NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft has observed water molecules moving around the dayside of the moon, a finding that may prove beneficial as the agency plans to put astronauts back on the lunar surface.
Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) -- the instrument aboard LRO -- measured sparse layer of molecules temporarily stuck to the Moon's surface.
The study is an important step in advancing the water story on the Moon and is a result of years of accumulated data from the LRO mission.
Three-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa and former youth world champion Sachin Siwach were among six Indians to enter the semi-finals and be assured of medals at the 38th GeeBee Boxing Tournament in Helsinki, Finland.
Thapa, a former world championships bronze medallist, beat Polish Dominik Palak in the quarter-final. He will next take on Russian Mikhail Varlamov.
Jawahar Chavda, a former senior legislator of the Congress in Gujarat, was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister, a day after he resigned as an MLA and joined the BJP.
Yogesh Patel and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, MLAs, were sworn in as Ministers of State at the function. All three leaders were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor O.P. Kohli.
Mr. Chavda, a prominent face of the Congress in Junagadh district who had been elected to the Assembly four times since 1990, will now have to contest a byelection to get re-elected.
Hasmukh Adhia Appointed Chancellor
Hasmukh Adhia, who earlier served as the Finance Secretary in the Finance Ministry, has been appointed Chancellor of the Gujarat Central University.
Hasmukh Adhia's appointment as the Chancellor of Gujarat Central University comes days before the Model Code of Conduct is enforced ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2019.
Hasmukh Adhia, who earlier served as Revenue Secretary, was appointed Finance Secretary by the Union Government in November 2017.
Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel has signed on ordinance to increase the quota for other backward classes (OBCs) in government jobs and university admission from 14% to 27%.
The move has come with the possibility of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls set to being announced soon.
Chief Minister Kamal Nath had announced an increase in the OBC quota.
He had also announced 10% reservation in government jobs and college admissions to the economically weaker sections in the general category.
The Centre has approved a state-of-the-art passenger terminal building, spread over 50 acres and estimated at Rs. 190 crore, for the Kartarpur Corridor.
A 300-foot-high flagpole, bearing the tricolour, will also be erected at the International Border.
The passenger terminal building complex will have all amenities for pilgrims visiting the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara across the border in Pakistan.
The approval came after the Cabinet decided in November 2018 to develop the Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab to the International Border.
The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), mandated to build and operate integrated checkpoints along the land borders, has reportedly been entrusted with this task.
It has been directed to complete the work before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in November 2019.
The design of the complex has been inspired by the symbol 'Khanda,' which represents the values of oneness and humanity.
Red-flagged Andamans Tourism Project
The Environment Ministry has amended laws that now allow a proposed tourism project in the Aves Island of the Andaman and Nicobar Island territory, to come up.
The project was the only one of three high-profile proposed tourism projects that did not get a clearance from an expert committee on coastal clearance in February.
This was because the proposed Aves Island project was located 20 m away from the High Tide Line (HTL) and existing rules required such projects to be at least 50 m away.