1.Three distinguished personalities from Odisha were conferred with Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu Monday for their outstanding contributions in various fields. The awardees are: Adwaita Charan Gadanayak and Durga Charan Ranbir for Art and Ashok Kumar Mahapatra for Medicine. Adwaita Charan Gadanayak, a renowned sculptor, is acclaimed for his profound works that embody Indian culture, spirituality, and heritage.

2.Political leaders cutting across party lines, including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and different socio-cultural organisations paid homage to Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, fondly called Madhu Babu, on his 177th birth anniversary Monday.

3.Vaibhav Suryavanshi hits the fastest century for any Indian in the IPL as RR defeat GT by eight wickets.

4.The authorities of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) at Burla have taken disciplinary action against 100 students on charges of various forms of misconduct, including poor attendance, violation of university rules, and inappropriate behaviour.

5.The Supreme Court Monday called it an “important concern” and sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea seeking a ban on streaming of sexually explicit content on OTT and social media platforms.

6.Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif Monday said a military incursion by neighbouring India is imminent in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack on tourists in Kashmir last week, as tensions rise between the two nuclear-armed nations.

7.Following Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, including one from Odisha, the state government has decided to cancel ration cards illegally issued to foreign nationals over the years, officials said Monday.

8.Keeping in view the evolving situation across the country following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Army and the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate of Police Monday held a strategic meeting and become familiar with each other so as to jointly face eventuality, if any.

9.The Odisha Crime Branch Monday arrested multiple fraudsters in connection with six major cases of cheating involving lakhs of rupees. Crime Branch director General Vinaytosh Mishra said the crackdown targeted individuals involved in cyber frauds, fake websites, and capital investment scams across different regions.

10. Bhitarkanika National Park will be out of bounds for tourists from May 1 to July 31 during a twomonth closure to accommodate the annual breeding season of saltwater crocodiles.

11.Panic gripped residents after a massive fire broke out Monday afternoon at the entry point of the IOCL refi nery at Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district.

12.Koraput Coffee has bagged two prestigious Fine Cup awards for its Arabica Washed and Arabica Naturals at the 2024 KYK (Know Your Kappi) Drive, organised by the Coffee Board of India. Recognised for exceptional taste and aroma, both the variants ranked among India’s top four coffees in the ‘Flavour of India’ competition.

13.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday expressed hope that Digha would grow into an international tourist attraction after the newly-built Jagannath Temple is inaugurated April 30.

14.Extensive arrangements have been made across Brajbhumi’s temples for the smooth conduct of the Akshay Tritiya festival April 30 amid tight security and a detailed traffi c plan, offi cials here said Monday.

15.You are constructing huge highways but people are dying there because of lack of facilities, the Supreme Court Monday said as it pulled up the Centre over the delay in formulating a cashless scheme for treating motor accident victims.