'There's been interest from multiple states, and exploratory conversations are ongoing.'
40 Covid patients died since mid-May, which is more than the total number of deaths over the preceding 39 weeks.
Despite facing financial constraints, Kerala has been able to invest in welfare schemes and targeted programmes.
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.
There are challenges galore before him, and it is not going to be easy. In the next four years, he has to conjure a system that changes the optics about him and the BJP both nationally and internationally so that he can ride back on his own, claim the top slot, and not have to lean on a coalition, asserts Ramesh Menon as Modi 3.0 completes a year in power.
The Maharashtra government has reversed its decision to make Hindi a mandatory third language in schools after facing widespread opposition. The move comes after the state's language consultation committee urged the Chief Minister to revoke the decision. The government will now issue a revised order making Hindi learning voluntary. The decision had been met with criticism from various quarters, including opposition parties and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which had called for a protest against the move.
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.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches against Chennai-based 'lottery king' Santiago Martin, the single biggest donor to political parties with over Rs 1,300 crore in electoral bonds, as part of a money laundering investigation. The action comes after the Madras High Court allowed the ED to proceed against Martin following a police decision to close the initial FIR against him.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has emphasized the importance of learning in one's mother tongue, arguing that it is key to achieving excellence and that a misconception exists regarding the necessity of English language proficiency for knowledge acquisition. Addressing the Assembly, Naidu asserted that knowledge is not dependent on language and that individuals who study in their mother tongue excel globally. He stressed the importance of learning multiple languages while preserving one's mother tongue, and urged against unnecessary political debates surrounding language.
He said that Chief Minister MK Stalin has been implementing a number of initiatives through the HR&CE department since the DMK came to power in 2021.
The Gauhati high court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu government to give permission and security to a delegation from Assam while inspecting the elephants taken from Guwahati to temples of the southern state.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice BR Gavai sought a report from the Cauvery Water Management Authority on the amount of water released by Karnataka, after additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that a meeting of the authority is scheduled for Monday.
Justice V Bhavani Subbaroyan in an order passed on June 12, 2024 said in 'every employment and educational avenues,' the government shall prescribe separate norms for transgenders.
The Supreme Court on Friday termed as "unwarranted and extraneous" the Madras high court directive to YouTuber Felix Jerald to close down his channel as one of the bail conditions.
The inaugural Sangamam turned out to be a political Hindutva function than a gathering on the Hindu religion, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
President Droupadi Murmu has exercised powers under Article 143(1) used in rarity to know from the Supreme Court whether timelines could be imposed by judicial orders for exercise of discretion by President while dealing with the bills passed by state assemblies.
As soon as the matter came up for hearing, the judges said they wanted to be recused from the case as they belong to the contesting states.
Dev Kumar Meena bettered the previous National record of 5.31m set by Subramani Siva while winning the gold in the 2022 Games in Gujarat.
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.
Gross GST collections remained above the Rs 2 trillion mark for the second month in a row, rising 16.4 per cent in May to over Rs 2.01 lakh crore. Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection had touched a record high of Rs 2.37 lakh crore in April. In May, 2024, the mop up was Rs 1,72,739 crore.
'Mr Attorney General, we are seriously concerned about the conduct of the governor. We did not want to say it out loud in court, but he is defying the Supreme Court of India.'
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.
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.
A Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar, would fix the timelines on July 29 and commence hearing on the presidential reference in mid-August.
Uddhav Thackeray criticized BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his controversial remarks amid the Marathi-Hindi language row, accusing him of trying to divide people and disturb harmony.
Many states are realising that hosting mega events puts the spotlight on them and raises their profile.
Following a complaint by a police inspector, the case was registered at Cubbon Park station, they said.
Barring a few, such as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu (74), Union Minister C R Patil (69) and Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna (71), most other ministers attending the WEF represent the next generation of India's politicians.
'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!"'
'Geopolitically and diplomatically it's a very difficult situation for India.'
In a setback to jailed Bihar Youtuber Manish Kashyap, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain his plea challenging invocation of the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against him for allegedly circulating fake videos of migrant labourers being attacked in Tamil Nadu.
'It is our duty to keep space sustainable and free of debris.'
Given the possibilities that next year's assembly elections could throw up, Stalin told the state assembly that an interim report had to be submitted by January 2026. The outcomes may well find its way into the DMK's poll manifesto, thus seeking to keep the electoral focus still on the BJP-ruled Centre and Prime Minister Modi, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
'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.'
The glass bridge offers tourists an enchanting view of the monuments of the two savants and the sea around.
A 50-year-old American woman was found tied to a tree with an iron chain in a forest in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, and a set of documents, including an Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address, were recovered from her possession, a police official said on Monday.
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.
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.
Taiwan's Foxconn signed a letter of intent (LoI) with the Tamil Nadu government on Monday to establish a new mobile component manufacturing facility for Rs 1,600 crore in Kancheepuram with potential to generate 6,000 jobs. On his Twitter handle, Chief Minister M K Stalin said the LoI was signed, in his presence, between the state government and Foxconn Group represented by its chairman Young Liu. State Industries Minister T R B Rajaa, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena and senior officials participated.
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