Polling to elect representatives to the 140-member Kerala assembly, 232-member Tamil Nadu assembly and the 30-member Puducherry territorial assembly began at 7 am on Monday.
The Indian government has advised states to intensify surveillance for respiratory illnesses, including influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illnesses (SARI), following the detection of five human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in the country. The decision comes amidst reports of a surge in HMPV cases in China. The Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava, chaired a virtual meeting with states and union territories to discuss the situation and public health measures. While there is no cause for public concern, the government is emphasizing the importance of preventive measures such as handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and avoiding close contact with those showing symptoms.
One must wonder whether Mr Modi's efforts to wine and dine the Big Two of today's world were seen as a sign of weakness rather than a proffered arm of friendship, points out R Jagannathan.
he FIR was lodged against her based on a complaint, the police said.
'We already understand Hindi -- through Bollywood, TV, pop culture.' 'But we never forced it on ourselves.' 'When something is imposed, the joy and organic nature of learning disappears.'
South Indian filmmakers have kept their focus on the single-screen cinemagoer. They have kept their finger on the pulse of the single-screen cinema fan, who goes to movies once a month or more, to forget his weekly chores, explains Ambi Parameswaran.
Heavy rain continued to lash Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, bringing residential neighborhoods and roads under knee-deep water and leading to traffic congestion besides affecting public transport services.
'The facility works on Apple's iPhone and everything is damaged -- CNC machines, computers and CCTVs worth crores.'
A massive fire that tore through a budget hotel in the congested Mechuapatti area of Burrabazar in central Kolkata on Tuesday night claimed at least 14 lives and left 13 injured, triggering a political blame game and calls for accountability.
The third accused in the gang rape of two women, including an Israeli tourist, near Hampi in Koppal district has been arrested. Two other accused were arrested earlier. The incident occurred on March 6. The minister also instructed police to enhance security for tourists in the future to prevent such incidents.
Despite facing financial constraints, Kerala has been able to invest in welfare schemes and targeted programmes.
'The Dravidian movement was started for the Hindus who were rejected by the upper castes.'
Over the medium and long term, the BJP hopes to devour the AIADMK, they having identified the party as 'ideologically not as sound as the DMK', predicts N Sathiya Moorthy.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has strongly opposed the central government's award of tungsten mining rights in Madurai district, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel the decision. Citing concerns about a biodiversity heritage site and potential impacts on local communities, Stalin asserted that the state government will not permit mining in the area.
The Hindu Munnani staged a protest in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, against a group of people consuming non-vegetarian food on the sacred Thiruparankundram hill. The protest, which was initially banned, was allowed by the Madras High Court with some restrictions. Several thousands of devotees, Hindu Munnani functionaries, and BJP members participated in the protest, raising slogans hailing Murugan (Lord Subrahmanya). Hindu Munnani state president Kadeshwara Subramaniam and scores of activists were arrested.
INDIA bloc parties are set to raise issues such as the Pahalgam attack, US President Trump's claims of brokering a ceasefire, and concerns over electoral roll revisions in Bihar during the Parliament's Monsoon session.
On the list are: A Gujarat beach, a litle corner of Sikkim and a spot in the hills of Tamil Nadu.
India conducted nationwide civil defence mock drills simulating multiple hostile scenarios like air raids, fire emergencies, and rescue operations across several states and union territories. The drills, dubbed 'Operation Abhyaas,' aimed to enhance emergency preparedness in light of recent terror attacks. The exercises involved coordinated efforts by various agencies, including civil defence personnel, police, fire and emergency services, and the military. Mock drills were conducted at various locations, including railway stations, malls, and high-rise buildings, showcasing the response capabilities of authorities in different emergency scenarios. The drills highlighted the importance of public awareness and cooperation in dealing with real-time emergencies.
Following a complaint by a police inspector, the case was registered at Cubbon Park station, they said.
'The main reason is 'they' do not want to see Dalits especially in the morning!'
Has there existed another cricketer who has been hailed as a spinner, fielder, captain, umpire, selector, and above all, a consummate team man, asks K R Nayar.
A probe into e-mails threatening blasts at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and different places in 12 states has unravelled a tale of unrequited love and vengeance allegedly unleashed by a woman executive of an MNC in Chennai to defame a man, leading to her arrest.
Medical seats for under-graduates and post-graduates remaining vacant in the NEET era, together with the Centre 'freezing' the number of medical colleges and seats in (Dravidian) Tamil Nadu and the launch of the PM's 'Vishwakarma Scheme' for the nation's craftsmen, are all seen as a bid to further reverse the state's progressive socio-economic agenda of and its achievements of the past hundred-plus years, argues N Sathiya Moorthy.
The first national flag in Independent India was hoisted at Fort St George in Madras, not at Delhi's Red Fort.
'He has not lived up to expectations.' 'If this was Shubman Gill from Tamil Nadu, he would have been dropped.'
With its age-old fascination for education, southern states have done better than the North. Start-ups, IT hubs, and industry majors setting up shop have changed the face of the South. Nearly 79% of global offices set up by international conglomerates in India are in the South. Almost 46% of tech unicorns are from the South. The GDP per person in the South is 4.2 times higher than the North. None of these indicators can be ignored by any central government, whatever the political compulsions, notes Ramesh Menon.
In the past 10 years, over 500 PSB officers have died by suicide. When targets are overwhelming, senior management and customers are both impatient, and there is constant fear, not every banker has the resilience to survive and thrive, warns Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
'There's been interest from multiple states, and exploratory conversations are ongoing.'
'People said, 'Don't come to India. If you try, you won't be able to'.'
'I declared myself a Sikh. We want freedom from caste discrimination.'
Parliament's approval of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, a contentious piece of legislation aimed at reforming Waqf bodies, has sparked strong reactions from the opposition, who allege that the bill was "bulldozed" through Parliament. The bill, considered the government's most consequential legislation in its third term, was passed with comfortable majorities in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha despite opposition claims of a lack of consultation and an intrusion into religious affairs. Other notable bills approved during the session included the Finance Bill, Appropriation Bill, Immigration and Foreigners Bill, and Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill. The session, which saw high productivity, also witnessed debates on issues such as economic distress, delimitation, and the three-language policy. While the government touted its achievements, the opposition criticized the government's approach and vowed to challenge the Waqf bill in court.
After making landfall near Puducherry on November 30, Cyclone Fengal weakened on Sunday, but torrential downpour under its influence paralysed the union territory, with the Army stepping in to evacuate stranded persons in inundated streets.
Stalin's comments came two days after Naidu said there was a need to manage the population in Andhra Pradesh given there will be an increase in the aging population.
'What is going on is the under counting of the migration population in urban areas.' 'It has been going on in the last few censuses.'
'When I asked whether they would choose a government job that offered Rs 30,000 a month or a private job that offered them Rs 3 lakh a month, without exception, everybody said, "I would rather have the government job!"'
Opposition parties in India, including the Congress, Left parties, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), have unanimously hailed the armed forces' "Operation Sindoor", a retaliatory strike against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation, which involved missile and drone strikes, was conducted in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Despite political differences, all parties expressed support for the government and the armed forces, stressing the importance of national unity and integrity in the face of terrorism. While emphasizing the need for diplomatic avenues to prevent further escalation, some parties also called for caution in attributing political credit for the strikes.
Sri Lanka has released 14 Indian fishermen as a special gesture, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for resolving the issue with a "humane approach." The fishermen issue figured prominently during talks between Prime Minister Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday. The fishermen issue is a contentious matter in India-Sri Lanka ties, with several alleged incidents of Sri Lankan Navy personnel using force against Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait. Modi stressed the need for a humane approach and the immediate release of the fishermen and their boats.
'The others have been looting the people all these years. If you don't do that, you can do a lot for the people,' says Tamil star politician Vijayakanth.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized Rs 1.5 crore in cash from the premises of a chit fund company owned by Gokulam Gopalan, one of the producers of the Malayalam movie "L2: Empuraan", in connection with foreign exchange law violations. The searches were conducted at locations in Kozhikode, Kerala and Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The ED alleged that the company collected subscription to chit funds from persons residing outside India without due permission and violated regulations framed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Can Vijay's strategy. vision outshine other TN parties?
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