1.The Odisha government is set to roll out a new rural development initiative—Mahapurush Adarsh Gram Yojana—aimed at transforming the native villages of renowned personalities such as freedom fighters, poets, authors and artists into model villages.

2.In a move to make higher education more accessible, the Odisha Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to provide study materials in the Odia language.

3.The Ratha Jatra will be conducted smoothly in Puri this year as 80 per cent work has been completed so far. The remaining work will be done far days before Ratha Jatra.

4.The state government has increased the ex-gratia compensation in case of death due to attacks by wild animals to Rs 10 lakh from the existing Rs 6 lakh, said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in a statement today.

5.Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday asserted that under the 11 years of his government, India has not just become the ‘fastest-growing major economy’ but is also a key global voice on pressing issues like climate action and digital innovation.

6.Asserting that the state government is committed to deporting Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in the state, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Monday asked the police and the district administration of Kendrapara to take strict action against such persons as they may pose a threat to national security.

7.Four more Covid-19 cases have been reported in the state, a Health department official said Monday. So far, 15 patients have recovered from the infection and the total active cases stand at 34, he said.

8.The Supreme Court Monday protected in the interim two Madhya Pradesh-based journalists who were allegedly assaulted by the state police for reporting on illegal sand mining activities.

9.Axiom Space’s mission to the International Space Station, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others, has been postponed for lift-off to Wednesday evening due to inclement weather conditions at the spaceport in Florida, ISRO chairman V Narayanan said Monday.

10.The Calcutta High Court Monday reserved judgment on a petition challenging the West Bengal government’s introduction of a scheme for providing monetary support to non-teaching staff, who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court order.

11.Israeli naval forces boarded and seized a charity vessel carrying Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, which had tried to break the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip Monday.

12.Police declared all of downtown Los Angeles to be an unlawful assembly area and ordered protesters to go home Sunday night after a third day of demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s immigration policy that sometimes included burning cars and hurling bottles at officers.

13.Russia hit Ukraine overnight with its largest drone attack since the start of the war, causing some damage at a military airfield in the west of the country that was one of its main targets, the Ukrainian air force said Monday.

14.Silver prices soared Rs1,000 to hit a fresh peak of Rs1,08,100 per kilogram in the national capital Monday, in line with firm global cues, according to the All India Sarafa Association.

15.Legendary Indian wicketkeeper-batter and former captain MS Dhoni has been inducted into the prestigious ICC Hall of Fame, marking another glorious chapter in his storied cricket career.