Kolkata/Bhubaneswar, Oct 23 – A deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Dana’ on Wednesday morning, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm is projected to move northwest, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, and cross the Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of October 25, with wind speeds reaching up to 120 kmph.

At 5:30 am, the cyclone was located 560 km southeast of Paradip and 630 km south-southeast of Sagar Island. The IMD advised fishermen to avoid the sea from October 23 to 25, warning of wind speeds increasing from 60 kmph on October 23 to between 100-120 kmph by October 24 night through the morning of October 25.

More than 150 express and passenger trains under the South Eastern Railway (SER) jurisdiction have been cancelled from October 23 to 25 due to the approaching storm, with additional cancellations possible if the situation worsens. The SER zone, headquartered in Kolkata, covers parts of West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is on high alert, mobilizing vessels and aircraft to respond to emergencies. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has already deployed 13 teams across southern Bengal to handle potential crises.

The IMD predicts the cyclone will bring very heavy rainfall to South Bengal on October 24 and 25. Coastal districts like South 24 Parganas, Paschim and Purba Medinipur, and Jhargram are expected to experience extremely heavy downpours. Additionally, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Purulia, and Bankura may see heavy to very heavy rainfall during this period.

Ranchi, Oct 23 — The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday released its first list of 35 candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections, with Chief Minister Hemant Soren contesting from Barhait and his wife, Kalpana Soren, standing from Gandey.

The elections will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with results to be announced on November 23.

Hemant Soren, who currently represents the Barhait (ST) constituency in Sahibganj district, will seek re-election. He previously won the seat in 2019, defeating BJP’s Simon Malto by over 25,000 votes. Kalpana Soren, who won the Gandey bypoll in 2021, will also be contesting from the same seat.

In the JMM’s first candidate list, several key names were announced. Basant Soren, the chief minister’s brother, will contest from Dumka. He previously defeated former BJP minister Lois Marandi in the 2019 elections. Other prominent candidates include Assembly Speaker Rabindranath Mahto, who will contest from Nala, and Minister Mithilesh Thakur, who is running from Garhwa.

Among other candidates, Sonu Sudivya will stand for Giridih, Bebi Devi for Dumri, Dipak Birua for Chaibasa, and Stephen Marandi for Maheshpur. Former BJP MLA Kedar Hazara, who recently joined the JMM, will contest from Jamua.

The INDIA bloc partners, comprising the JMM, Congress, and RJD, have decided to contest the polls together. The JMM and Congress will vie for 70 of the 81 seats, while the remaining 11 will be contested by the RJD and Left parties. The RJD has already announced candidates for six seats.

On the opposition side, the BJP will contest 68 seats, the AJSU Party 10, JD(U) 2, and the LJP (Ram Vilas) will contest 1.

The filing of nominations for the first phase of the elections, covering 43 constituencies, began last week and will continue until October 25. A total of 2.60 crore voters, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 1.13 lakh persons with disabilities, third-gender individuals, and senior citizens over 85 years old, are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.

New Delhi, Oct 23: The government has announced the exemption of export duty on parboiled rice and husked (brown) rice, effective from October 22. In a late-night notification issued by the finance ministry, the export duty has been reduced from 10 percent to zero for parboiled rice, husked (brown) rice, and rice in the husk (paddy or rough).

Sources indicate that the Election Commission has approved this duty cut, with the stipulation that it should not be leveraged for political advantage, especially with elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra approaching next month.

This recent decision follows last month’s exemption of non-basmati white rice from export duty. Previously, the government had reduced the levy on parboiled rice, husked brown rice, and rice in the husk from 20 percent to 10 percent. Additionally, the minimum export price for basmati rice has been eliminated to encourage outbound shipments and enhance farmers’ income.

Jammu, Oct 21: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated that two foreign terrorists, suspected to have infiltrated from north Kashmir’s Bandipora area, were likely involved in the deadly attack in Ganderbal district that claimed seven lives.

The attack took place at a tunnel-construction site on the Srinagar-Leh national highway in Ganderbal on Sunday, where a doctor and six laborers were killed. According to officials, the terrorists targeted the site when the workers and staff had returned to their camp for the evening.

Sinha revealed that preliminary investigations suggest the attackers, who wore masks, entered the mess hall of the company involved in the Z-morh tunnel construction and opened fire indiscriminately, killing seven and injuring four others. The Lieutenant Governor emphasized that the police and security forces have been given full freedom and clear instructions to track down and eliminate the perpetrators of this heinous act.

He further noted that the two terrorists are believed to have infiltrated from the Bandipora area of north Kashmir and assured that they are being tracked and will soon be neutralized.

NEW DELHI, Oct 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized India’s strong commitment to BRICS, recognizing it as a key platform for dialogue and addressing global developmental issues. In a statement ahead of his two-day visit to Kazan, Russia, for the 16th BRICS summit, Modi highlighted the group’s significance in fostering cooperation on critical global challenges.

He noted that BRICS’ expansion with new members last year has enhanced its inclusivity and broadened its global agenda. “India values close cooperation within BRICS, which has emerged as an important forum for discussing issues related to the global developmental agenda, reformed multilateralism, climate change, economic cooperation, resilient supply chains, and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges,” Modi said.

The summit, hosted by Russia, is seen as a platform for non-Western powers to assert their influence, especially amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the tense situation in West Asia. Modi will also hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the summit’s sidelines.

This will be the first BRICS summit following the group’s expansion during last year’s Johannesburg summit, which welcomed new members like Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE.

Modi’s visit to Kazan will also further strengthen India’s “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” with Russia. “My visit to Kazan will build upon the fruitful discussions held during the annual summit in Moscow this past July,” Modi said. He expressed eagerness to engage with other BRICS leaders at the summit.

BRICS, originally formed in 2006 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, became BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa in 2010. The 2023 expansion marked the first addition of new members since then, reflecting the group’s growing relevance on the global stage.