Rayagada Division Landslide Disrupts Rail Services in Odisha; Several Trains Cancelled Till October 21

Koraput, Oct. 12 (UDN): Train services in Odisha’s Rayagada railway division have been disrupted following a landslide between MVG and CTS stations, prompting the East Coast Railway (ECoR) to cancel several trains and modify the routes of others.

 Representational Image 

According to a railway bulletin, the changes will affect multiple express and passenger services connecting Visakhapatnam, Kirandul, Jagdalpur, Rourkela, Howrah and Bhubaneswar. Passengers travelling on the affected routes have been advised to check the latest service updates before leaving for their journey.

Four Express Trains Cancelled

The following trains have been cancelled for the specified dates:

18515 Visakhapatnam–Kirandul Express: October 13 to 20.

18516 Kirandul–Visakhapatnam Express: October 13 to 20.

18107 Rourkela–Jagdalpur Express: October 13 to 20.

18108 Jagdalpur–Rourkela Express: October 14 to 21.

Other Trains to Run on Restricted Routes

Several other services will operate with changes to their originating or terminating stations.

18005 Howrah–Jagdalpur Express: Will terminate at Koraput from October 13 to 20.

18006 Jagdalpur–Howrah Express: Will originate from Koraput from October 15 to 22.

18447 Bhubaneswar–Jagdalpur Express: Will terminate at Koraput from October 13 to 20.

18448 Jagdalpur–Bhubaneswar Express: Will originate from Koraput from October 14 to 21.

58501 Visakhapatnam–Kirandul Passenger: Will terminate at Koraput from October 13 to 20, subject to a separate October 13 adjustment.

58502 Kirandul–Visakhapatnam Passenger: Will originate from Koraput from October 13 to 20, subject to a separate October 13 adjustment.

The affected services will not operate between Koraput and Jagdalpur during the respective periods.

Additional Traffic Block on KK Line

Separately, railway authorities have given in-principle approval for an eight-hour traffic block at DPC Yard on the KK line in the Rayagada division on October 13. The block is linked to the proposed launch of a Limited Height Subway (LHS).

Due to this arrangement, Train Nos. 58501 and 58502, scheduled to operate on October 13, will instead terminate and originate at Araku, respectively, rather than Koraput, as previously notified.

Passengers Advised to Check Updates

Railway authorities have urged passengers to verify train schedules and operational changes before travelling. Updates will be available through station notice boards, public announcement systems, media reports, bulk SMS alerts and official railway websites and apps.

Passengers using the Koraput–Jagdalpur route should pay particular attention to the revised arrangements to avoid inconvenience during the disruption.

SPJIMR #2 in India and #15 globally in Financial Times’ teaching cases rankings

Recognition highlights the role of teaching cases in translating management scholarship into practice; SPJIMR advances the conversation on research impact through TASIC 2027

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — How can business schools demonstrate that research matters beyond academia? In his recent article, ‘Business school research with impact, ranked’, Andrew Jack, Financial Times (FT) Global Education Editor, examines the challenge of assessing how academic work influences business practice and public policy. Among the approaches explored is the reach of teaching cases, which bring research and real-world business dilemmas into the classroom, shaping how future leaders think and make decisions.

The question is also explored by SPJIMR through a paper by Prof. Varun Nagaraj, Dean, SPJIMR, ‘Making Management Research Matter: A Dean’s Reflection on Translation, Diffusion, Crossover, and ROI‘. It examines how management scholarship can move beyond publication to inform practice and create meaningful impact.

In this context, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) has ranked second in India and 15th globally in the FT 2026 rankings of the world’s most popular teaching cases. SPJIMR features alongside leading global institutions, including Harvard Business School, Western University’s Ivey Business School, the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, INSEAD and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, among others. 

Commenting on the recognition, Prof. Varun Nagaraj, Dean, SPJIMR, said, “The question for management education is not simply how much research we produce, but whether it addresses problems that matter and influences practice. The global reach of our teaching cases, many rooted in Indian contexts, reflects how scholarship can shape how people think and make decisions. Through TASIC 2027, we hope to advance the wider conversation on research impact. The multi-track conference includes a unique session on teaching cases, recognising those with the potential to challenge assumptions and change how students think. This is part of a broader effort to explore how engaged management scholarship can inform industry, influence practice and address consequential real-world challenges.”

The FT’s second annual assessment recognises a form of academic contribution that extends beyond conventional research publication citation metrics: the development of learning materials used by educators and students in business school classrooms worldwide. The analysis draws on data provided by five leading teaching case publishers and distributors: CEIBS, Harvard Business Impact, IESE Publishing, Ivey Publishing and The Case Centre, which publish their own cases or distribute those of others. It also considers authorship by faculty at schools featured in recent FT rankings.

While no single measure can fully capture the influence of research on business and policy, the reach of teaching cases offers one indication of how academic ideas enter management education and potentially inform decisions beyond the classroom.

The recognition builds on SPJIMR’s sustained focus on connecting scholarly rigour with real-world relevance. This focus on research impact will continue through TASIC 3.0, The Asia-Pacific Scholarly Impact Conference, scheduled for 25–27 February 2027 at SPJIMR, Mumbai. Grounded in the principles of engaged management scholarship and impact pathways, the conference will bring researchers and practitioners together to explore how they can co-create knowledge, translate academic insights into action and address consequential challenges in industry and policy.

Congratulations to SPJIMR faculty on this recognition and their continued contribution to management learning worldwide.

For more news and updates from SPJIMR, visit our Newsroom.

About SPJIMR

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) is one of India’s leading postgraduate management institutes. It is recognised in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2026 ranking as the #26 business school globally and #2 in India and in the Financial Times Global MBA 2026 ranking as the #74 business school globally for its PGPM programme. SPJIMR is also consistently ranked among India’s top business schools by leading publications, including Business Today, Fortune India, India Today, and MBAUniverse. It has also been recognised by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the world’s top five business schools for societal impact. Known for its innovative and socially conscious approach to management education, research, and community engagement, SPJIMR seeks to influence managerial practice and enable value-based growth for students, alumni, organisations, and society. The institute holds the international Triple Crown of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, placing it among a select group of business schools worldwide to hold all three accreditations.

Visit SPJIMR.org for more information. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/spjimr-2-in-india-and-15-globally-in-financial-times-teaching-cases-rankings-302905604.html

KuCoin Unveils 5.0, Building Trust into Every Layer of the User Experience

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KuCoin, a leading global crypto platform built on trust, today unveiled KuCoin 5.0, a comprehensive platform upgrade designed to make trust tangible across the way users trade, manage assets and interact with the platform.

KuCoin 5.0 is the product expression of the global brand initiative “Trust, Built-in.” Introduced under KuCoin’s enduring “Trust First. Trade Next.” proposition, the upgrade spans six areas—Compliance, Technology, Assets, Experience, AI and Wealth Management—bringing them together around a more unified, efficient and user-centered platform experience rather than centering on a single feature.

Among the most visible changes in KuCoin 5.0 are a redesigned experience that creates clearer paths for different types of users; an AI service layer that extends across the platform; and more flexible ways to trade, manage and put assets to work. Underneath these user-facing changes, KuCoin is also strengthening the technology, compliance and asset foundations that support the platform as it continues to evolve.

A Clearer, More Inclusive Experience

KuCoin 5.0 makes everyday use of the platform clearer and more flexible. Profile Center 2.0 introduces a cleaner visual design and a card-based layout that makes information and frequently used functions easier to find. The upgraded sub-account system streamlines account creation, strengthens security controls and improves sub-account management. Enhanced K-line charts offer more practical tools and real-time data, with settings that sync across devices to help users follow the market more efficiently.

KuCoin 5.0 also introduces a color vision accessibility mode, making charts and other visual information easier to distinguish for users with different color vision needs. An estimated 360 million people worldwide experience some degree of difficulty distinguishing colors. By offering a clearer visual experience, KuCoin aims to make the platform more accessible to more users. The Lite and Pro experiences offer paths suited to different levels of familiarity and trading needs.

For users with more advanced trading needs, KuCoin 5.0 introduces the Unified Trading Account (UTA), now available to eligible KuCoin users at VIP1 and above. UTA brings spot, margin and futures trading into a shared framework for funds, margin and risk management. This reduces the need to transfer funds between separate accounts and supports more efficient use of capital across eligible products.

AI That Extends Across the User Journey

KuCoin 5.0 introduces a major upgrade to AI Assistant 5.0, creating a unified AI entry point that brings together conversations, Q&A and task completion across the platform. Spanning market insights, Earn, trading, customer support and campaigns, the assistant uses page context and user actions to better understand what users need, recommend relevant services and help them complete tasks.

Making Assets Work More Efficiently

KuCoin 5.0 connects earning and trading more closely through exclusive wealth management products and benefits for VIP users, Earn access through sub-accounts, and support for selected wealth assets within the Unified Trading Account framework. Main accounts and sub-accounts can participate in Earn while managing funds separately, while KCUSD can be used as margin within the Unified Trading Account, reducing the need to move funds repeatedly between earning and trading activities.

These user-facing changes are supported by continued development across KuCoin’s Compliance, Technology and Assets foundations. Together, the six upgrade areas form a platform designed to remain straightforward where possible and provide greater control where needed.

“Trust should be something users can experience in every interaction—not only in how their assets are protected, but in how clearly, reliably and efficiently the platform works,” said BC Wong, CEO of KuCoin. “KuCoin 5.0 is an important step in translating our long-term commitment to trust into the product itself. By bringing our core capabilities into a more connected, intuitive and intelligent platform, we are giving users greater confidence and control today while building the foundation for the next stage of digital finance.”

KuCoin 5.0 establishes the foundation for the platform’s next phase of development. By connecting trading, asset management and intelligent services through a clearer experience, KuCoin is building a platform designed for how users participate today and how digital finance will continue to evolve.

About KuCoin

Founded in 2017, KuCoin is a leading global crypto platform built on trust and security, serving over 45 million users across 200+ countries and regions. Known for its reliability and user-first approach, the platform builds trust into every layer of the user experience, combining advanced technology, deep liquidity, and strong security safeguards to deliver a seamless trading experience. KuCoin provides access to 1,000+ digital assets through a broad product suite and remains committed to building a compliant and user-centric ecosystem for the future of finance, backed by SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27701:2019, ISO 22301:2019 and ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certifications. In recent years, KuCoin has continued to strengthen its global compliance foundation, marked by key milestones including AUSTRAC registration in Australia, a MiCA license in Europe, and regulatory progress in other markets.

Learn more at www.kucoin.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kucoin-unveils-5-0–building-trust-into-every-layer-of-the-user-experience-302905369.html

NHAI Plants 5.20 Lakh Saplings Across Odisha, Focuses on Medicinal Forests and Bee Corridors

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 12 (UDN): The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has planted around 5.20 lakh saplings across Odisha over the past four months as part of a series of environmental initiatives aimed at expanding green cover, protecting biodiversity and supporting pollinators.

 Representational Image 

The plantation drive includes medicinal gardens, bee-friendly corridors, greenery along highway medians and community-based planting programmes, reflecting efforts to integrate environmental conservation with highway infrastructure development.

Arogya Van to Preserve Medicinal Plants

Under its Arogya Van initiative, NHAI has planted 2,500 medicinal saplings at Kunduli in Koraput district along the Raipur–Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor (NH-130CD).

The plantation features traditional medicinal species such as Bahada, Neem, Harida and Amla. The initiative seeks to conserve indigenous plants while highlighting their ecological and medicinal significance.

NHAI plans to develop medicinal green spaces on suitable vacant land along national highways. These areas are expected to provide habitats for birds and small wildlife, support pollinators and improve ecological resilience.

Bee Corridors to Support Pollinators

As part of its Bee Corridor Plantation initiative, NHAI has planted at least 39,337 saplings of species including Neem, Spathodea, Arjun, Patoli, Kadamba, Tabebuia rosea and Radhachuda.

The initiative aims to create more pollinator-friendly stretches along highway corridors, helping strengthen local biodiversity.

Highway Medians and Community Plantations

The greening campaign also covers highway medians, where 87,338 plants have been planted. Species such as Bougainvillea, Tecoma, Calliandra and Caesalpinia have been selected to enhance the appearance and ecological value of highway stretches.

In addition, the authority has planted 6,000 bamboo saplings and undertaken community plantation activities involving another 7,097 plants.

Plantation drives have also been extended to schools, colleges and other community spaces to encourage public participation in environmental protection and expand green cover beyond highway land.

Green Infrastructure Push

Through medicinal plantations, pollinator-friendly corridors and community greening programmes, NHAI aims to make highway development more environmentally sustainable.

The initiatives are expected to contribute to biodiversity conservation and environmental awareness while improving greenery along Odisha’s national highway network.

BJP National Leader Saudan Singh Begins Three-Day Odisha Visit Ahead of Local Body Polls

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 12 (UDN): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up its organisational preparations for the upcoming panchayat and municipal elections in Odisha, with party National Joint Organisation General Secretary Saudan Singh beginning a three-day visit to the state.

During his visit, Singh is scheduled to interact with senior party leaders, elected representatives and grassroots workers to strengthen the organisation and assess its preparedness for the upcoming local body polls.

According to reports, Singh arrived in Odisha on Sunday and visited Puri to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath before proceeding to the BJP state headquarters in Bhubaneswar.

His visit comes amid renewed organisational activity within the state unit following the appointment of Daggubati Purandeswari as the BJP’s state in-charge and Swadesh Singh as co-in-charge. The two leaders recently held discussions with party office-bearers on organisational matters.

Senior Leaders Expected to Meet Saudan Singh

BJP Odisha president Manmohan Samal and other senior party leaders are expected to hold discussions with Singh during his stay. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with ministers, MLAs and MPs, may also meet the national leader, depending on their availability.

The interactions are expected to focus on strengthening coordination within the party, improving organisational effectiveness and preparing workers for the electoral challenges ahead.

With local body elections approaching, the BJP is seeking to reinforce its organisational network and improve coordination between its leadership and grassroots cadres.

Manmohan Samal Highlights Singh’s Organisational Experience

Speaking about the visit, state BJP president Manmohan Samal said Singh’s extensive experience in organisational affairs would benefit the party’s expansion and election preparations in Odisha.

Samal noted that Singh had handled organisational responsibilities across several states over the years and said his guidance would help strengthen the party’s structure and improve its readiness for the upcoming polls.

He expressed confidence that Singh’s experience would contribute to building a stronger organisation in the state.

Party Workers to Interact With National Leader

A key component of Singh’s programme at the BJP state headquarters is interaction with party workers, including those who have recently joined the organisation.

Rather than being limited to formal meetings, the programme is intended to give workers an opportunity to introduce themselves, share their views and raise organisational concerns directly with the national leader.

The interactions are expected to help the party leadership understand grassroots-level issues and identify areas requiring greater attention ahead of the local elections.

Singh’s three-day visit is part of the BJP’s broader organisational efforts to consolidate its position in Odisha and strengthen its election preparedness through closer engagement with leaders and workers across the state.

CM Majhi Backs SIR, Says Clean Electoral Rolls Crucial to Democratic Trust

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 12 (UDN): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has strongly defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing it as an important exercise to safeguard electoral integrity, ensure fair representation and strengthen public confidence in democracy.

 Representational Image 

In a post on his X handle on Monday, Majhi said free and fair elections are the foundation of a strong democracy and stressed that accurate electoral rolls are essential to protecting the voting rights of every eligible citizen.

He pointed out that duplicate entries, outdated information and the names of deceased persons remaining on voter lists can undermine the accuracy of electoral records. Maintaining clean and updated rolls, he said, is not merely an administrative requirement but a key step towards ensuring credible elections.

SIR Must Ensure Accuracy Without Excluding Eligible Voters

Majhi said the SIR exercise plays an important role in identifying discrepancies, removing duplicate entries and updating voter details following deaths or changes in residence.

However, he emphasised that the process must also ensure that no eligible voter is unfairly excluded from the electoral rolls.

“These are not minor administrative details; they go to the heart of electoral fairness, equal representation and the sanctity of every vote,” the Chief Minister stated.

He underlined that electoral roll revision must be conducted with fairness, due diligence and appropriate safeguards to protect the rights of legitimate voters.

CM Highlights Importance of Public Confidence

The Chief Minister maintained that reliable electoral records are fundamental to the credibility of the democratic process. He said effective implementation of the revision exercise would help ensure that voter lists accurately reflect the eligible electorate.

Majhi also stressed that a transparent and carefully conducted process would strengthen public confidence in electoral institutions and reinforce trust in democratic governance.

His remarks come amid an ongoing nationwide political debate over the Special Intensive Revision being conducted by the Election Commission of India.

Odisha’s Final Electoral Roll Records 3.16 Crore Electors

In Odisha, the final electoral roll published following the SIR process recorded approximately 3.16 crore electors, according to the information provided.

The revision exercise aims to improve the accuracy of electoral records while ensuring that eligible citizens retain their right to vote.

Majhi reiterated that maintaining reliable voter lists, while protecting legitimate voters from wrongful exclusion, is essential to upholding electoral fairness and ensuring that every vote carries its rightful significance.