CATEGORIES

Maha talk to pick BJP candidates

CEC meet, chaired by PM Modi, focuses on clean image and winnability factor for selection

Omar 1st CM of J&K UT, Congress not part of govt

NATIONAL Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday took over as the first elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory after Article 370 was read down. In a bid to maintain a balance between Kashmir and Jammu regions, Omar appointed giant killer Surinder Choudhary, who defeated J&K BJP president Ravindra Raina in Nowshera in the Jammu province, as the deputy CM.

Maha Yuti says Oppn scared of Maha plans, MVA peeved

AHEAD of the Maharashtra assembly polls, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday presented a \"report card\" of the Maha Yuti government's work, accusing the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of adopting an anti-development vision.

Cabinet hikes MSP for rabi crops, DA 3%

Approval also given for construction of a new rail-road bridge on river Ganga in Varanasi with an outlay of ₹2,642 cr

Global initiative aims to make oral care affordable

AS India faces a significant burden of oral diseases affecting over 70% of its population, a global initiative was launched on Wednesday to address the oral health burden and strengthen health systems to ensure that high-quality oral health services are available, affordable and accessible to all.

Govt depts told to solve pensioners' woes in 21 days

THE Centre on Wednesday directed all departments to redress pensioners' grievances within 21 days. In the cases where redressal requires more time, the departments must provide an interim response, as per an official statement.

SC defers hearing on contempt plea against Gujarat over demolitions

THE Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred hearing on a contempt plea against Gujarat authorities for allegedly illegally demolishing residential and religious structures in the state despite an interim stay and without its prior nod.

With 446 species, Kaziranga emerges India's second butterfly diversity hub

ASSAM'S Kaziranga National Park, famous for its one-horned rhino population, has also earned the distinction of being the second butterfly diversity hub, after Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh.

WHEN NOBEL IS USED AS A POLITICAL TOOL

HE Japanese hibakusha movement began in 1956, a decade after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atom bombings, when the survivors decided to band together to inform the world about the sheer brutality of nuclear bombs. Nihon Hidankyo, a federation of hibakusha organisations, was founded that year, at the second World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs held in response to ongoing US nuclear tests.

ANOTHER ROUND OF KITCHEN POLITICS FOR RAHUL GANDHI

Dining with others is different from being part of the cooking process. Rahul is trying to leverage both. It's hard to predict whether it will fetch him electoral gains

Amid land allotment scam involving K'taka CM, MUDA chairperson quits

AMID investigation into the MUDA site allotment scam in which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is an accused, MUDA chairperson K Marigowda resigned on Wednesday, citing health reasons.

Landslip in Coonoor, train service and traffic affected

INCESSANT rain triggered a minor landslip at Black Bridge near Coonoor, bringing traffic to a standstill one and a half hours till 8am on Wednesday. Rocks fell on the tracks between Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam, resulting in cancellation of Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) train services on Wednesday and Thursday. A huge rock fell on the tracks near Lovedale station also.

2 villages evacuated as seawater floods homes

AFTER seawater inundated many houses in Azhickal and Pillaithoppu coastal villages, the residents were shifted to community centres and the houses of their relatives. With Azhickal and Pillaithoppu facing the wrath of rough seas, the villagers have been demanding a permanent solution to protect their houses.

Forced to clean school, boy injured while burning trash

SEVERAL parents staged a protest on Wednesday after the HM of the government high school at Ponnanganni village near Sulur forced students to clean the school campus.

10K Sabarimala slots may be kept for spot booking

TDB caps daily limit for online booking for pilgrimage at 70K

Nehru says Chennai received 17-20 cm rainfall, situation under control now

Minister dismisses opposition parties' allegation that measures to tackle monsoon were lacking

Rains posing a threat to Vijay's political meet in Vikravandi

PREPARATIONS for Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) first meeting, scheduled to take place near Vikravandi on October 27, have been disrupted by continuous rain over the past few days. The heavy downpour has delayed key arrangements at the venue, particularly due to water stagnation.

Textile shops sit on govt diktat, chair still a dream for salespersons

IN the run-up to Deepavali, the big textile outlets in the city are decorated with lights, attracting a large number of people from the central region of Tamil Nadu. Silk sarees shimmer, intricate fabrics dazzle, and shoppers revel in festive mode. Yet, amidst this kaleidoscope of colours a haunting truth remains out of sight. Behind every meticulously arranged shelf and elegantly dressed mannequin stands a salesperson, their body crying out in silence. Hours of compulsory standing have taken their toll, leaving legs swollen, backs aching and spirits weary.

Cyber cops' quick action helps remove fraud site

The Cyber Patrolling Team of Cyber Crime Wing has identified and helped block a website posing as National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

Didn't attack priest, got off car to resolve issue, says Kadambur Raju

DENYING the allegation of assault levelled against him by a priest, former minister Kadambur C Raju said he was only trying to resolve an issue between the complainant and a few bikers at an executive party workers' meeting in Vilathikulam late on Tuesday.

Probe up 18%, but DVAC '23-24 tally 2nd lowest in 10 yrs

AT a time when concerns are being raised against its alleged lethargy in cracking down on corruption, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered an 18% increase in the number of investigations it conducted in 2023-24 over the previous year, official data published on its website on Monday indicates.

Samsung stir called off, workers set to rejoin duty today

CITU says ministers have told firm to submit written response to the union's demands

ALERT LIFTED BUT RESIDENTS SEE RED AS NORTH GOES SOUTH

DESPITE the heavy rain ceasing over 24 hours ago, northern areas in the city, including Pattalam, Pulianthope, Vyasarpadi, Vadaperumbakkam, and Athipattu Puthunagar, remained severely waterlogged on Wednesday night.

Stormwater drain weighs down lives of hundreds in Vivekananda Nagar

FOR H Chinnadurai, a senior citizen and resident of Sampangi Street in Vivekananda Nagar, life was peaceful until the Avadi Corporation constructed a stormwater drain in the area about four years ago. Since then, even during light showers, his house on the ground floor gets inundated. The 100-odd families in the area said they shared the same fate.

Customs botches up drug parcel probe, trial court acquits two suspects

A procedurally botched up attempt by Chennai Customs to have a 'controlled delivery' of a drug parcel ordered from Spain allegedly by two men near Auroville, Puducherry, during the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the acquittal of the accused by a trial court in Chennai last week.

HC allows accused with Parkinson's disease to attend trial online

THE Madras High Court has observed that courts have to integrate technology into the procedure for conducting proceedings, while overturning an order of a special court for CBI cases which refused to allow an octogenarian suffering from Parkinson's disease to appear through video-conference for framing of charges.

Sterlite copper slag: Details sought on pending PILs

SEEKING directions to remove copper slag dumped in the bunds of Uppar River, Korampallam channel, along the Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli national highway and other parts of Thoothukudi district, another public interest litigation (PIL) petition was filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

Minor held for hoax threats to Indian flights

AT least 20 flights were disrupted at different airports in and outside India in the past 48 hours following hoax bomb threats, prompting the Ministry of Home Affairs to seek a report from the civil aviation ministry.

Terrorism won't boost trade, Jaishankar's veiled dig at Pak

TAKING a jab at Pakistan's policy of nurturing and exporting terror, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that three evils -- terrorism, extremism, and separatism -- are holding back regional cooperation initiatives.

70% flood work completed in Chennai: Stalin

CHIEF Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday assured the residents of Chennai city and its suburban areas that a permanent solution to the long-standing issue of flooding during monsoon is in the works.