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Cyclone devastates Kolkata, leaves scores dead

The eastern Indian city of Kolkata has been devastated by a powerful cyclone which has killed at least 84 people across India and Bangladesh.

Amphan made landfall on Wednesday, lashing coastal areas with ferocious wind and rain. The storm is weakening as it moves north into Bhutan.

Thousands of trees were uprooted in the gales, electricity and telephone lines brought down and houses flattened.

Many of Kolkata’s roads are flooded and its 14 million people without power.

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The storm is the first super cyclone to form in the Bay of Bengal since 1999. Though its winds had weakened by the time it struck, it was still classified as a very severe cyclone.

Coronavirus restrictions have been hindering emergency and relief efforts. COVID-19 and social-distancing measures made mass evacuations more difficult, with shelters unable to be used to full capacity.

Amphan began hitting the Sundarbans, a mangrove area around the India-Bangladesh border home to four million people on Wednesday afternoon, before carving north and north-eastwards towards Kolkata, a historic city that was the capital of the British Raj and widely known as Calcutta.

Parts of West Bengal and Orissa (also known as Odisha) states in India, and areas in south-west Bangladesh, bore the brunt, with winds gusting up to 185km/h (115mph).

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At least 72 people have died in India’s West Bengal state, and 12 deaths have been confirmed in Bangladesh.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the devastation in Kolkata, the state capital, was “a bigger disaster than COVID-19”.

“Area after area has been ruined,” Ms Banerjee was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency. “I have experienced a war-like situation today.”

Three districts in West Bengal – South and North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore – were very badly hit.

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In Bangladesh, there are reports of tens of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed and many villages submerged by storm surges in low-lying coastal areas like Khulna and Satkhira. The authorities evacuated nearly 2.5 million people ahead of the cyclone.

Initial assessments of the damage are being hampered by blocked roads and flooding in all these areas. -BBC

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NPP Caucus wasted our time and resources – Della Sowah 

Member of Parliament for Kpando Constituency, Della Sowah has expressed disappointment in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs for failing to show up in Parliament yesterday.

According to her, never in the history of Parliament has this happened.

In an interview with the media, Della Sowah said, “The NPP only succeeded in wasting our time, personal and state resources with your action.”

 She queried why the NPP Caucus would trigger a recall of Parliament only to refuse to show up in the chamber. 

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” If you are not ready,why did you petition the Speaker to recall Parliament?, ” she queried.

She said most of the MPs had to drive all the way from their Constituencies when the country had been told there was an urgent business to be conducted.

Della Sowah said it shows a s lack of maturity, adding that the NPP had taken the whole country for granted.

“The first letter they wrote for recall had five businesses two day after they brought an additional 17, and they did not show up when the house was finally recalled,” she said.

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The recall, initiated by the NPP caucus, was expected to address several critical issues and government business.

However, as they failed to appear in the Chamber, Speaker Bagbin expressed disappointment and adjourned the house indefinitely.

“In view of the failure of the business committee to sit, as a result of the refusal of those who requested a recall to show up, we are compelled to once again adjourn the sitting of the house. Knowing the challenges we are facing, it is not advisable to be adjourning from day to day. So, I will proceed once more to adjourn the meeting indefinitely,” he stated.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme 

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Maison Yusif unveils nine captivating fragrances

Yusif Meizongo Jnr, the Chief Executive Officer of  Maison Yusif, the leading fragrance house in the country has unveiled nine unique and evocative perfumes adding to his numerous creations.

The unveiling saw electrifying performances from Afrobeat sensation Kelvynboy and the Rockstar Kuami Eugene.

The nine fragrances namely the Black Excellence, the Voyager, the Empress, If Sex Was a Perfume, De Ja Vu, Tulaale, El Patron, Take Me to Paris Exclusif and Supernova reflects the brand’s unique blend of cultural richness, charismatic style and creative expression.

Each perfume gives a unique scent for easy identification and it’s crafted to evoke emotion and embody themes of confidence, lasting impression and adventure.

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Launching the new fragrances in Accra on Sunday, Mr Meizongo Jnr expressed the need for Ghanaians to boost the level of their confidence by patronising from his fragrance house.

He said the nine fragrances make a statement and enhance the body’s passion while drawing attention with its mild and tender extraordinary scents.

“Each fragrance is not merely a perfume but a celebration of indigenous culture, captured in scents that transcend time and place,” Mr Meizongo Jnr added.

The occasion also drew hundreds of fragrance enthusiasts and notable personalities from Ghana and the showbiz industry.

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Prominent figures like Andy Dosty, Ama Burland and Dr. Likee added to the celebratory atmosphere.

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