Road accidents in Bhubaneswar have become a major concern, with 850 fatalities recorded in the last four and a half years across 1,200 accidents. Within the first six months of this year alone, over 100 lives were lost in 400 incidents. National Highway 16 has emerged as a major blackspot. Experts blame reckless driving and repeated traffic violations for the rise. While the government has introduced policies like the Good Samaritan Policy and Rah-Beer scheme with rewards of ₹25,000 for rescuers, the death toll remains high due to lack of awareness and planning. https://sambad.in/metro/capital-road-god-hope-12182907

Global warming is causing a massive increase in ocean temperatures, with the oceans absorbing nearly 90% of the Earth's excess heat. Scientists note that in 2025, the ocean absorbed 23 zettajoules of energy, equivalent to pouring 7.6 billion cups of hot tea into the sea every second. This rise is primarily due to carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels, leading to rising sea levels and melting polar ice, threatening future generations. https://sambad.in/punascha-pruthibi/the-ocean-every-second-12182834

The Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Department has directed all District Collectors to immediately implement revised English spellings for districts, subdivisions, tehsils, blocks, and urban areas in all official works. Additional Chief Secretary Arvind Padhee issued a letter stating that the spellings must align with Odia pronunciation. Government offices must ensure usage in documents, websites, and signboards, submitting a report within 15 days. Private and commercial establishments have been given 6 months to update their signboards. This move aims to protect the state's linguistic and cultural identity while ensuring administrative consistency. https://www.dharitri.com/instructions-for-expedited-implementation-of-revised-english-spelling/

The Odisha Higher Education Department has revised the recruitment process for non-teaching staff in government colleges. The hiring powers previously held by college principals for Group B, C, and D non-cadre positions have been withdrawn and transferred to the Regional Directors of Education. A formal letter regarding this administrative shift was issued on Monday. https://www.dharitri.com/withdrawal-of-appointment-powers-from-college-principals/

The Odisha government is expanding the Indravati multipurpose project in Kalahandi to generate an additional 600 MW of electricity through a pumped storage system, bringing the total capacity to 1200 MW. The project budget has increased to 4060 crore rupees. Land acquisition for 107.596 hectares of forest land and private land is underway. While the foundation stone was laid by the President and Prime Minister, concerns have been raised regarding the tender process possibly favoring a controversial firm that faced corruption allegations in previous water supply projects. https://sambad.in/state/indravati-pumped-storage-project-12182876

An OSRTC bus traveling from Puri to Sundargarh overturned near Burukuna Chhak on National Highway 149 in Pallahara. More than 20 passengers were injured in the accident. Local residents helped transport the injured to a nearby hospital. Police have arrived at the scene and launched an investigation to determine the cause of the mishap. https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/zeeodisha/state-news/osrtc-bus-accident-near-palalahada-over-20-passengers-injured/3271834

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has launched the 3rd edition of its flagship campaign 'Bhakti Ro Dori' in Odisha. Running from July 20 to 24, the campaign features 'Man Ki Rath', utilizing modern motion-sensing technology to allow customers to virtually pull the chariot. This initiative, blending technology with culture, is active across six branches in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Choudwar, aiming to promote spiritual connection and financial inclusion. https://prajuktiodisha.com/digital-rath-yatra-2026-ujjivan-small-finance-bank-bhakti-ra-dori-motion-sensing

Scientists have discovered a potentially habitable Earth-like rocky planet named LHS 1140 b, located 48 light-years away. Unlike thousands of other exoplanets, this one features an atmosphere and orbits within the 'Goldilocks zone' of a red dwarf star. The planet is 5.6 times heavier than Earth and shows signs that it could support liquid water. While helium has been detected in its atmosphere, the discovery marks a significant step forward in the search for extraterrestrial life. https://sambad.in/special/the-atmosphere-on-a-planet-like-earth-12182884

A major landslide occurred outside an under-construction tunnel in Sikkim's Namchi district, trapping 27 workers inside. District authorities have confirmed 7 deaths so far. Rescue operations by NDRF, SDRF, and local police are underway, but are being hindered by the suspected presence of methane gas inside the tunnel, which has affected the health of some rescuers. https://sambad.in/india-and-beyond/7-killed-several-trapped-in-sikkim-tunnel-after-landslide-triggers-gas-leak-12183024

Engineers at Northwestern University have developed an experimental drone named 'Phantom Twist' that becomes nearly invisible while flying. Unlike conventional drones, this single-wing drone rotates its entire body 25 times per second to evade human vision. Research indicates it is ten times harder to spot than regular drones, making it highly valuable for wildlife research as it allows for close monitoring without disturbing animals' natural behavior. https://sambad.in/special/invisible-drone-12182883