1.Absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi has been arrested by Belgium authorities following an extradition request by Indian probe agencies for his involvement in the Rs13,000-crore PNB loan “fraud” case.

2.In a joint operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard have seized over 300 kg of drugs worth Rs1,800 crore which were dumped into the Arabian Sea by Pakistani smugglers who fled across the international maritime boundary on being chased, offi cials said Monday.

3. A rare piece of India’s royal heritage, ‘The Golconda Blue’ – a historic diamond once owned by the Maharajas of Indore and Baroda – is set to make its auction debut at the Christie’s “Magnifi cent Jewels” sale in Geneva May 14.

4.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) regional centre here Monday issued a yellow warning for thunderstorm activity, accompanied by lightning and gusty winds, over the next four to five days in several districts in the state.

5.A Delhi Assembly delegation led by Speaker Vijender Gupta will visit Odisha from April 15-17 to study the Odisha Assembly's successful implementation of the National e-Vidhan Application.

6.The Department of Higher Education (DHE), Odisha, Monday announced that the application process for Plus III (Undergraduate) courses across the state will commence April 16 for 2025–26 academic session.

7.In a noble effort to support educational aspirations, the Biswa Bhusan (BB) Memorial Trust reaffi rmed its commitment to community welfare by awarding scholarships to 10 needy students pursuing higher education across various disciplines.

8.The Central University of Odisha (CUO), Koraput, will soon establish an Ambedkar Study Centre to promote in-depth research and understanding of the life, vision, and contributions of BR Ambedkar, announced VC Chakradhar Tripathi Monday.

9.A two-month long ban on marine fi shing along Odisha’s coastline is all set to take effect Tuesday, forcing thousands of fi shermen to dock their boats and brace for fi nancial hardship.

10.National Dolphin Day is celebrated across India April 14, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the ecological importance of dolphins, their conservation, and the protection of their natural habitats.

11.The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is set to conduct the second annual synchronised survey of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, from April 24 to 27.

12.Telangana government Monday issued an order on the implementation of Scheduled Castes (SC) categorisation, making it the fi rst state in the country to do so, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

 13.Mumbai terror attacks key mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana is being interrogated for eight to ten hours daily by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths to unravel a larger conspiracy behind the dreaded strikes, offi cial sources said Monday

14.Inebriated persons armed with sticks and sharp weapons allegedly attacked three Jain monks, who were resting in a temple, after being refused money in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district, leaving them injured, a police offi cial said Monday

15.Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a moderate who extended the country’s political freedoms but was criticised for lackluster leadership, has died of heart disease. He was 85.