The New Indian Express Chennai - December 13, 2024

In this issue

December 13, 2024

Cabinet OKs 'one poll' bill, may go to JPC for vetting

THE Union Cabinet on Thursday approved two bills to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

1 min

SC halts surveys of mosques

THE Supreme Court on Thursday issued a sweeping order restraining courts across the country from accepting fresh suits seeking to reclaim religious structures or passing orders to survey mosques to determine whether temples lie beneath them.

1 min

GUKESH KING OF ALL SQUARES

CHESS has a new king. The promised prince is here and he will be coronated on Friday evening. D Gukesh joined the most exclusive of Indian sporting clubs late on Thursday—only the second player and first since Viswanathan Anand to be crowned as world champ.

2 mins

6 choke to death in blaze at Dindigul private hospital

SIX people, including a six-year-old girl and two elderly women, died and at least six more were injured in a fire accident at City Hospital, a private medical facility, on Tiruchy Road in Dindigul around 9pm on Thursday.

1 min

Was too tense to follow it live, says champ's mom, flies to Singapore

WHEN D Gukesh won his World Championship match in Singapore, a thousand miles away, his mother J Padmakumari had switched off her phone.

1 min

Health officials launch investigation after infant dies during home birth at Aranthangi

A baby boy delivered at home on Wednesday died soon after, and was allegedly buried by his parents.

1 min

Aavin to launch 'Green Magic Plus' on Dec 18

THE state-owned Aavin is set to launch a new milk variant, Green Magic Plus, fortified with vitamins A and D, starting December 18.

1 min

Minister assures workers' demands will be fulfilled

THE state government will take steps to address the demands of former Manjolai tea estate workers, Municipal Administration Minister K N Nehru said while meeting the workers at an aided school in Manjolai on Thursday.

1 min

Manjolai estate turns ghost town as ex-tea workers moved to plains

With rehab efforts on, workers ask if they can return to hold festivals and visit ancestors' graves

2 mins

Bait arches constructed sans nod eat into beach near Tiruchendur temple

THE construction of bait arches near Amali Nagar fishing hamlet, reportedly being constructed without Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance, has led to heavy soil erosion along the coast near the Tiruchendur Murugan Temple, putting the safety of the centuries-old structures at risk.

1 min

Clippings row: Notice to Nayanthara and Vignesh

THE Madras High Court on Thursday ordered notice to actress Nayanthara Kurian, her husband and film director Vignesh Sivan and Los Gatos Production Services India LLP, an entity of Netflix, in a case filed by actor Dhanush seeking ₹10 crore damages for unauthorised usage of the behind-the-scene video clippings of 'Naanum Rowdy Dhaan' movie in the documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale.

1 min

Steps being taken for fishers' release: EAM

EXTERNAL Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has conveyed to Chief Minister MK Stalin that the union government is taking steps to ensure the release of 14 Indian fishermen, including 7 from Tamil Nadu, detained by Pakistani authorities on January 3.

1 min

ONE NATION ONE POLL BILL DRACONIAN, WILL ERASE REGIONAL VOICE

EXPRESSING serious concern over the Union Cabinet approving the introduction of the One Nation One Election Bill in the Parliament, Chief Minister MK Stalin described this legislation as draconian and said the move would erase regional voices.

1 min

Governor lays foundation for Ayya Vazhi centre in Kumari

WE should learn and spread the messages of the religious book ‘Akila Thirattu Ammanai’ everywhere, said Governor RN Ravi while laying the foundation stone of the Ayya Vazhi Research Centre at Guru Parambarai Trust premises in Thamaraikulam Pathi.

1 min

HC asks lower court to speed up trial of FERA case against Sasikala

THE Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court for economic offences to fast-track the trial against VK Sasikala, close aide of late CM J Jayalalithaa, in Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) cases pertaining to payments made for hiring equipment for J Jaya TV Private Limited in the 90s.

1 min

Beach mineral mining cases assigned to new bench

THE cases pertaining to illegal mining of beach sand minerals in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts have been assigned to a new division bench of the Madras HC comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and M Jothiraman.

1 min

Vaikom struggle starting point of social justice stirs in India: Stalin

CM inaugurates renovated Thanthai Periyar Memorial and a library in honour of the leader

2 mins

Flood alert issued as Poondi reservoir outflow raised to 5k cusecs

Relief centres ready in Tiruvallur district, residents will be evacuated if the outflow further increases; Chembarambakkam, Red Hills levels too near full capacity

1 min

DMK MP slams centre's laxity in giving funds for disaster relief

CHENNAI: DMK Deputy General Secretary and Parliamentary Party Leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Thursday criticised the union government for failing to address Tamil Nadu's disaster relief requirements during a discussion on the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024 in Parliament.

1 min

Parts of city waterlogged as intermittent showers persist

CHENNAI witnessed widespread moderate rainfall with heavy spells recording an average rainfall of around 10 cm from Wednesday night to Thursday evening.

1 min

Another low pressure may develop, move towards TN

THE northeast monsoon has come in heavy this year, already delivering bountiful rains.

1 min

Baby, grandparents from KL die as car rams van in Kovai

AN elderly couple hailing from Kerala and their two-month-old grandson died after the car collided with a van on the Salem-Kochi Highway near Madukkarai on Thursday.

1 min

Mule account holder nabbed in ₹53L online trading scam

A 27-year-old man hailing from Kerala was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Police for allegedly operating as a first layer mule account holder in an online investment scam.

1 min

Two clerks at RGGGH held for swindling money

TWO persons, employed as record clerks at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), were arrested on Thursday for allegedly swindling money from the hospital.

1 min

Amid stir against bike taxis, auto driver books trip, assaults rider & damages bike

CLAIMING that the service of bike taxis in the city was affecting their business, an association of auto drivers staged a protest on Thursday.

1 min

13-year-old boy dies in house collapse

A 13-year-old boy died in a house collapse near Velankanni on Thursday due to downpour.

1 min

Holiday declared for schools in Nellai, Tenkasi

INCESSANT rainfall lashed various parts of Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts here on Thursday, disrupting normal life.

1 min

12 cm rainfall pounds Nagai; acres of samba crops inundated

HEAVY rain poured across Nagapattinam throwing life out of gear on Thursday. The district received a total rainfall of 84 cm from Wednesday 8.30 am to Thursday 8.30 am.

1 min

Four schoolgirls die in KL road accident

FOUR schoolgirls were killed when a cement-laden lorry overturned and fell on them in Palakkad on Thursday.

1 min

'Pressure tactics for reservation unconstitutional'

K'taka CM cites SC order, says state must first constitute permanent BC commission

1 min

Over 300 residents shifted to 10 relief camps in Villupuram

Unlike during Cyclone Fengal, the district administration, owing to the continuous rain, has proactively shifted over 300 residents to relief camps on Thursday.

1 min

NEHRU: THE MAN WHO REFUSED TO BE CAESAR

Our first PM shunned unchecked power. Instead, with his respect for parliament, judiciary and his political opponents, he instilled a deep regard for democracy in the newly independent nation

4 mins

BALANCE FLEXIBILITY & RIGOUR IN NEW DEGREE PROGRAMMES

THE University Grants Commission (UGC) is set to roll out the accelerated degree programme (ADP) and extended degree programme (EDP), two ambitious initiatives aimed at providing flexibility to college students.

3 mins

Nadda accuses Cong of trying to create 'anarchy'

BJP president JP Nadda on Thursday accused the Congress of trying to create \"anarchy\" as he condemned the charges levelled against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar by opposition leaders.

1 min

Yet another day of washout over no-trust notice, Soros

BOTH Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Thursday following an uproar in the Rajya Sabha over a press conference held by Opposition MPs a day earlier and ruckus in the Lok Sabha over allegations of the Congress' links with billionaire George Soros.

2 mins

V-P muzzling Oppn right to speak, says Kharge

AS the political showdown over the Opposition's no-trust motion notice against Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar continues, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday accused the chairman of muzzling the Opposition's \"right to speak\".

1 min

BJP, Cong issue whip to MPs ahead of debate on Constitution

THE stage is set for a fiery debate on the Constitution scheduled to begin in the Lok Sabha on Friday noon.

1 min

'Attack on federalism': Oppn slams cabinet nod to One Nation, One Poll

AS the Union Cabinet approved two bills to implement 'One Nation, One Election' as recommended by a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, several Opposition leaders including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the proposed legislation, terming it an attack on \"democracy and federalism\".

1 min

Air pollution killed 1.5mn annually from '09-'19

A whopping 1.5 million deaths were reported in India annually from 2009 to 2019 due to long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution every year, said a latest Lancet study.

1 min

NIA raids 19 places across 8 states in JeM terror case

THE National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted raids against Jaish-e-Mohammad-linked members at 19 locations across eight states, including Assam, Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and J&K.

1 min

2 women among 7 Maoists killed in C'garh encounter

SEVEN cadres, including two women of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in uniform, were gunned down by security forces in a fierce encounter along the inter-district borders of Narayanpur-Dantewada in Abujhmad area, south Chhattisgarh on Thursday.

1 min

Man-eating tigers keep dominance in captivity

Big cats establish their turfs up to 50 km

2 mins

Setback to Soren govt as HC stays 75% quota for locals in pvt companies

IN a major setback to Hemant Soren government, the Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday put a stay on the implementation of the 75% reservation for locals in private companies in the state.

1 min

Manipur crisis will take time to heal, says Biren

MANIPUR CM N Biren Singh on Thursday said that the government was making efforts to find a solution to the ethnic crisis but it would take time considering the fragile situation.

1 min

Techie suicide: Wife's family flees UP house, cops say no alert from K'taka

Abetment to suicide case registered

1 min

Maha Yuti's Maha formula on portfolios cracked: Fadnavis

AFTER meeting the top leadership of BJP in Delhi, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the formula for portfolio allocations among Maha Yuti allies has been finalised and cabinet expansion will take place soon.

1 min

US to up tariff on Chinese solar wafers, polysilicon

THE Biden administration plans to raise tariffs on solar wafers, polysilicon and some tungsten products from China to protect US clean energy businesses.

1 min

Australia to force tech titans to pay for news

THE Australian government said on Thursday it will tax large digital platforms and search engines unless they agree to share revenue with Australian news media organisations.

1 min

Yoon stares down on South Korean impeachment vote lined up for Sat

SOUTH Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed on Thursday to fight \"until the very last minute\" in a defiant address defending his shock decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country's parliament last week.

1 min

At 1,500, max clemency in a day in US

President Biden commutes sentences, pardons 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes

1 min

Israeli strikes kill 28 in Gaza; UNGA for truce

PALESTINIAN medical officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 28 people in the Gaza Strip, including seven children and a woman, hours after the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

1 min

Gay def veterans win compensation from UK

BRITISH military veterans who were discharged or suffered other forms of discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity will receive up to 70,000 pounds ($89,300) under a government compensation programme announced on Thursday.

1 min

Syrian rebel leader vows to shut down notorious prisons

SYRIAN rebel forces have said they intend to close the notoriously harsh prisons run by ousted president Bashar al-Assad and hunt those involved in the killing or torture of detainees, Reuters reported.

1 min

Finance ministry asks banks to closely monitor top 20 large insolvency cases

FINANCE ministry has asked the public sector banks to closely monitor the top 20 large cases of defaults that are undergoing insolvency proceedings.

1 min

Retailers ask FM, GST Council to reject 35% tax slab

INDIAN Sellers Collective, an umbrella body of trade associations and sellers, on Thursday urged finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the GST Council to reject recommendations of GoM (Group of Ministers) on GST rate rationalization.

1 min

Zomato gets ₹803 cr notice for non-payment of GST

FOOD deliver giant Zomato said on Thursday it has received a tax notice of nearly ₹803 crore from the Joint Commissioner of CGST & Central Excise, Thane Commissionerate, Maharashtra.

1 min

Auto parts sector grew 11.3% to ₹3.3L cr in H1, China biggest source of import

THE turnover of India's automotive component industry reached ₹3.32 lakh crore ($39.6 billion) during April to September 2024 (H1FY25), reflecting an 11.3% growth compared to the same period last year, according to the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA).

1 min

Govt plans to raise coal stocks to 50 MT in FY26 as power demand likely to go up

AS power demand is expected to touch a new high next year, coal ministry is planning to increase stocks at the beginning of the next financial year to 50 million tonne.

1 min

CEA says India's GDP to grow at 6.5-7% in FY25, cites global uncertainties

The country will achieve 6.5-7% growth for the current financial year, said V Anantha Nageswaran, chief economic advisor, Government of India.

1 min

Indian VC funding to cross $300 bn by 2030

FROM $10.9 billion venture funding in 2015, Indian VC funding is expected to cross $300 billion by 2030.

1 min

Nov inflation falls to 5.5%; raises rate cut hope in Feb

Inflation falls below the central bank's upper tolerance level of 6%

1 min

Rupee hits new low of 84.88 against USD

THE rupee fell to a new low of Rs 84.88 during intra-day trade on Thursday against the US Dollar.

1 min

Juve deepen Man City crisis; Barca post win

MANCHESTER City's crisis continued with a 2-0 defeat away to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Pep Guardiola's old club Barcelona beat Borussia Dortmund to clinch a spot in the knockout stage of Europe's elite club competition.

1 min

Srinath, Ramesh laud historic win

India's Gukesh beat China's Ding Liren in the 14th round on Thursday to show his class and claim the World Chess Championship in Singapore.

2 mins

Usman at home in Brisbane as hosts prepare to take on India

As the sun went down in Brisbane on Thursday, there was an immediate shift in the mood of the city.

4 mins

ALL RISE, NEW KING ON BOARD

India Grandmaster's persistence pays off as he forces Liren to make a blunder in the closing moment

3 mins

India now leads in global Gen AI enrolments

THERE has been an unprecedented demand for Gen AI learning as online learning platform.

1 min

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: BIGGEST FOCUS OF AI INVESTMENTS IN 2025

The primary focus of artificial intelligence (AI) investments for Indian organisations in 2025 will centre around enhancing customer experience, followed by planning and strategy and optimisation of IT functions.

1 min

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