DT Next
Beirut burning, Strait shut, all eyes on peace talks
DUBAI/WASHINGTON: A tentative ceasefire in the Iran war staggered Thursday under the weight of Israel’s bombardment of Beirut, Tehran’s continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and uncertainty over whether talks expected on Saturday can find common...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EC shunts out Chief Secretary, DVAC chief
CHENNAI: In a high level shake up, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday moved out Chief Secretary N Muruganandam and appointed M Sai Kumar as the new Chief Secretary. It also directed the appointment of senior IPS officer Sandeep Mittal...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Centre backs ban on women in Sabarimala
NEW DELHI: Backing the restriction on the entry of women of menstruating age into Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, the Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the issue falls squarely within the domain of religious faith and denominational autonomy,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Noose for 9 ‘Sathan’ cops Life imprisonment not enough for the policemen, says Madurai court
MADURAI: Holding that life imprisonment was not enough for the nine policemen who brutally assaulted, tortured, and murdered the father-son duo who lived honourable and dignified lives, a court in Madurai awarded death penalty to the officials found...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Oil marketing firms to pay discounted rates to refiners
NEW DELHI: In a first since fuel price deregulation, Indian state-run oil marketing companies will pay refineries a discounted price for petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and kerosene to limit mounting losses from a self-imposed freeze on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CM slams CBSE’s ‘covert’ Hindi push, dares BJP to fight it out
CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday launched a sharp offensive against the CBSE’s new curriculum framework, describing it as a “well-planned attempt” to impose Hindi under the guise of the National Education Policy 2020. In a strongly worded...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Candidate lists out, fail to douse fires in BJP, Cong
CHENNAI: Bringing an end to the days long wrangling at various levels, the BJP on Friday announced candidates for all 27 Assembly constituencies it will contest in Tamil Nadu, but set off another row by leaving out former State president K Annamalai...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt exempts import duty on key petrochem products amid West Asia shipping disruption
NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday exempted the import of critical petrochemical products from customs duty for three months till June 30, giving relief to sectors like pharmaceuticals, chemicals and textiles and ensuring supply stability amid the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tagore quits poll panel post as seat row deepens in Cong
CHENNAI: In an ironic political twist, Congress leader Manickam Tagore, who led from the front to needle alliance leader DMK ahead of the seat-sharing talks, resigned as chairman of the party’s election management and coordination committee on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BJP plotting to import 30k voters: Didi to CEC
Banerjee termed the move “another coordinated attempt by the BJP, in conjunction with the Election Commission of India, to interfere with the democratic rights of the people” after the “flawed and seemingly targeted SIR caused severe hardship to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ramnad man killed as Iran targets Kuwait desal plant
RAMANATHAPURAM/DUBAI: A 36-year-old worker from Ramanathapuram was killed in Kuwait after missile debris fell on him amid the ongoing war between Israel and the United States, and Iran. Since the war broke out on February 28, eight people from India...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rs 8k coupon scheme for women in DMK’s 525-promise manifesto
CHENNAI: Aiming to retain power for another term, DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday released the party’s election manifesto with 525 promises, with a major focus on welfare expansion, including the ‘Illatharasi’ scheme that offers Rs...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DMK list out; all but 3 of 33 mins to seek re-election
CHENNAI: The ruling DMK on Saturday released its list of 164 candidates for the April 23 Assembly polls, renominating Chief Minister MK Stalin, his son and deputy Udhayanidhi -- both from their existing city seats -- and around 30 ministers including...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
AIADMK steals a march with constituency allotment for allies
CHENNAI: The AIADMK has stolen a march on its rival, the DMK, by releasing the full constituency-wise allocation for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners for the Assembly polls on April 23. Alongside the allocation, it announced a 297-point...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EPS inks pact with allies; BJP gains 7, PMK loses 5
CHENNAI: After hectic parleys between the AIADMK and the Centre-ruling BJP that took place in Chennai and Delhi for several days, the NDA on Monday finalised and signed seat-sharing agreement with key alliance partners ahead of the April 23 Assembly...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Energy markets on edge, PM reviews oil, gas status
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation in the petroleum, crude oil, gas, power, and fertiliser sectors, with a focus on ensuring uninterrupted supply and stable distribution amid the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Modi asks Iran to ease chokehold
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian and condemned the attacks on critical infrastructure in West Asia, while stressing the importance of safeguarding the freedom of navigation and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LPG CRUNCH CONTINUES, SUPPLIES RATIONALISED FOR COMMERCIAL USE
NEW DELHI: LPG supply crunch continued for the third straight week on Friday, but there was some easing in bookings for refills, in signs of things slowly crawling towards normalcy. However, concerns persist as supply restrictions on commercial...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Oil price swells as bombs blast Gulf wells
BANGKOK: Global oil and natural gas prices soared Thursday after Iran attacked a key natural gas facility in Qatar that could supply one-fifth of the world’s gas as well as two oil refineries in Kuwait. The attacks added to fears that the energy...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CPI yields to fifer offer, CPM adamant on 6 plus
CHENNAI: Amid a demand for more constituencies within the ruling alliance, the DMK on Wednesday signed a seat-sharing agreement with the CPI for five Assembly seats, one less than what the party was allotted in the 2021 elections, while the CPM...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TALKS ON; TALKS OFF
DMK offers 8, Left seeks 12 CHENNAI: Even after three rounds of discussions, the latest on Tuesday, the ruling DMK and its ally CPM are yet to come to an understanding over the number of seats the Left party would contest, with it insisting on more...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Neutral polls: ECI replaces SPs of 4 dists
CHENNAI: With the Model Code of Conduct coming into effect in Tamil Nadu, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the appointment of new Superintendent of Police (Sps) in four districts of the state as part of election preparedness and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EC rolls out poll schedule: TN will vote on April 23
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 23, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Elections will also be held in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on April 9, while West Bengal polls will be held in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
And the wait ends...
Smiles, selfies, long-awaited excitement, elders standing in groups discussing the significance of the moment, the first day of operations on the MRTS extension between Velachery and St Thomas Mount carried a sense of quiet celebration for a modest...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
MRTS extension to transform lives in south Chennai suburbs
CHENNAI: Can someone travelling from Guduvanchery reach the IT corridor near Perungudi without navigating traffic? Or is there a less hassle and more affordable way for a Nanganallur resident to reach Madras University? For years, the answer was...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
CRISIS RUMOUR HITS DELIVERY RIDERS
CHENNAI: Panic buying of petrol from fuel stations across the city has begun to impact delivery workers, many of whom depend on small and frequent refuels to keep working throughout the day. “It is frustrating to wait for half an hour, witnessing...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Singed by shortage, eateries shorten menu, turn to firewood
CHENNAI: The ripple effect of the acute shortage of commercial cylinders on Wednesday affected owners of tea shops, small roadside eateries, small-scale tiffin centres, and restaurants across Chennai. In response, a Nungambakkam restaurant is...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
AI eye to add bite to Corporation’s enforcement drive against waste
CHENNAI: Aiming to strengthen field monitoring and enforcement within city limits, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has proposed deploying AI-based camera systems on 55 enforcement vehicles, which will detect violations, including illegal dumping,...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Buses parked on roads due to lack of space in Tiruvanmiyur terminus
CHENNAI: Renovation work at the Tiruvanmiyur Bus Terminus has led to traffic congestion and confusion among passengers, with buses being temporarily parked along surrounding roads for the past six months. Due to ongoing work, buses operated by the...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Kolathur’s civic infra, welfare projects get a Rs 45-crore boost
CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday inaugurated multiple civic infrastructure projects and welfare initiatives worth over Rs 45 crore in his Kolathur Assembly constituency under the North Chennai Development Plan. The projects include works...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
318 cadets inducted into Army at OTA parade
CHENNAI: A total of 318 officer cadets, including 27 women, were commissioned into the Indian Army at the Passing Out Parade held at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai on Saturday, which was reviewed by Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Parandur greenfield airport declared ‘Special Project’
CHENNAI: The State government’s decision to declare the proposed Parandur greenfield Airport in Kancheepuram as a ‘Special Project’ under the Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation (for Special Projects) Act, 2023 has triggered fresh concerns, among...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Velachery-Mount MRTS line set for Mar 10 launch
CHENNAI: The long-pending Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) extension project from Velachery to St Thomas Mount underwent statutory inspection and speed trials on Thursday, bringing the project closer to commissioning. With this significant development,...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Skipped stops, surge in auto fares add to EMU struggles
CHENNAI: With suburban train services on the Beach-Tambaram/ Chengalpattu section continuing under a curtailed timetable, commuters at city stations that are now frequently skipped say the disruption has shifted the burden directly onto them, both in...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
As war thickens, India flags risks to trade, energy security & lives
As the conflict in West Asia widened, India on Tuesday emphasised the interest of one crore Indian nationals in the region and voiced concern over consequences for the Indian economy due to possible disruptions in energy supplies, even as Prime...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Guns fire all around Gulf as Iran-backed militias enter
Dubai: The war on Iran claimed an Indian national on Monday, when an explosive-laden unmanned boat struck an oil tanker off the coast of Muscat Governorate, according to reports. “The Maritime Security Centre reported that the oil tanker MKD VYOM was...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KHAMENEI DEAD, PERSIANS ERUPT
Iran vowed revenge after the killing of its supreme leader and traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by a surprise US and Israeli bombardment a day earlier. Late on Sunday, however, Trump claimed the country’s new leadership...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GCC puts on hold eviction drive; won’t vacate post polls too, say Marina vendors
CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is currently holding off the clearance drive against ‘excess’ vendors until the assembly elections. The civic body, which recently completed the court-mandated lottery to restrict vending to 300 shops and...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Jaya loyalist & three-time CM OPS joins DMK, quits MLA post
CHENNAI: Marking a dramatic turn in Tamil Nadu politics, three-time AIADMK Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) joined the ruling DMK on Friday. The veteran leader, alongside his son P Ravindhranath Kumar and key supporters, was inducted by Chief...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PC faces prosecution; ED director in the city
CHENNAI: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has placed before a Special Court in Delhi its prosecution sanction order against former Union minister P Chidambaram in an alleged money-laundering case linked to the Aircel– Maxis deal, even as ED Director...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump heat on solar imports adds fresh uncertainty to tariff tensions
NEW DELHI: US President Trump has imposed a steep duty of about 126% on certain solar imports from India, reopening friction with New Delhi just as both sides were trying to advance a bilateral trade deal. The preliminary countervailing duty,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Dole race: EPS vows Rs 10K compassion grant per family
CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday announced the third list of the party’s election promises, accusing the DMK government of presiding over a sharp rise in the prices of essential commodities and increasing multiple...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Nearly one-third of city voters deleted from final rolls after SIR
CHENNAI: Nearly one in three voters in Chennai were deleted from the final electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), according to the data released by the District Election Officer and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
DMK to pitch 2021 formula; allies seek double-digit share
CHENNAI: Seat-sharing talks within the ‘crowded’ DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) will begin on Sunday, with the ruling party signalling it may broadly stick to the 2021 Assembly election formula even as allies press for a bigger pie. In the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Fry-day: Glitches on Egmore EMU section leave thousands stranded
CHENNAI: What should have been a routine one-hour commute stretched into hours of ordeal for thousands of suburban rail passengers on Friday, with several trains stalled between stations and commuters forced to walk along tracks, amid curtailed EMU...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DMK uses RS seat as trump card to rope in elusive DMDK
CHENNAI: Springing a surprise that has the potential to rewrite the equation – both politically and electorally – within the ruling alliance, the DMK bagged the support of the DMDK for the upcoming Assembly polls. The tie up on Thursday, which marks...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TN panel proposes fixed tenure, House-approved names for Guv
CHENNAI: The high-level committee on Union-State relations under Justice Kurian Joseph has recommended that the office of the governor be made a non-renewable five-year term and that appointments be made from names approved by the State Legislative...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TOURISM SURGE IN ANDAMAN EXPOSES INFRA GAPS, HIGH COSTS, SLOW DIVERSIFICATION
SRI VIJAYA PURAM (PORT BLAIR): Spread across 836 islands covering 8,249 sq km in the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are witnessing a sharp rise in tourist arrivals, but the archipelago’s infrastructure, logistics network and energy...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
32 of 38 districts in TN record above national average per capita income
CHENNAI: Led by the highly industrialised districts of Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram, as many as 32 out of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu have recorded per capita income that is above all India average, said the Economic Survey of Tamil Nadu...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
AI adoption leading to moderation in entry-level hiring: Study
NEW DELHI: Adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has led firms to moderate hiring, primarily at the entry-level, according to a report. A study by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), supported by OpenAI,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER BRAHMAPUTRA
Rs 3,030 cr Cost of the bridge Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu: The 6-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete bridge over the Brahmaputra river The first extradosed bridge in the Northeast, it connects Guwahati with north Guwahati It cuts travel time from the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Poll of joy: Women get Rs 5k; CM vows to double KMUT aid
CHENNAI: Poll-time bonanza came early for millions of women and households across Tamil Nadu, who woke up on Friday morning to find Rs 5,000 credited to their account. The initial confusion turned to joy after they learnt that it was from the State...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
114 Rafales, P81 part of Rs 3.6 L Cr deal with France
NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry on Thursday cleared a long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government framework with France, nearly 13 years after a similar acquisition was almost firmed up but could not be...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Only DMK-led front stands a chance to win the forthcoming election: Stalin
CHENNAI: Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Wednesday reiterated that power sharing will not work in Tamil Nadu, ruling out the possibility of a coalition government after the Assembly elections, ahead of seat-sharing talks with alliance...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Birla to sit out until removal matter fixed
NEW DELHI: Speaker Om Birla will not preside over Lok Sabha proceedings till the issue pertaining to his removal from the office is settled citing moral grounds, sources said on Tuesday. Separately, Article 96 of the Constitution bars a speaker or a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
It’s just the beginning: TN lad Dhakshineswar after winning Davis Cup tie for India
BENGALURU: India’s newest Davis Cup hero Dhakshineswar Suresh says his dream run for the country is “just the beginning” as he prepares to step into full-fledged competition on the ATP Tour after completing his studies at a US university. Pursuing...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump watching, refiners freeze Russian crude orders
NEW DELHI: India has started scaling back its crude oil purchases from Russia under an agreement reached with the United States in exchange for lower trade tariffs, sources said, adding that the imports will continue for now, as refiners like Nayara...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Framework reached: No sops for many US agri goods; oil still roils
WASHINGTON/ NEW DELHI: India and the US on Saturday announced they have reached a framework for the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement under which both sides will reduce import duties on a number of goods to boost two-way trade. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Sooryavanshi’s blazing 175 off 80 fires India to sixth Under-19 WC
HARARE: India overpowered England in the final of the Under-19 World Cup, with 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi starring with a stunning 175 from just 80 balls. The IPL sensation hammered 15 sixes and 15 fours at a strike-rate of 218.75 during a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Footwear to missiles: TN nod for investments worth Rs 34k
Continuing its push to take industrial development to districts that remained below the radar for decades, the State government on Thursday cleared 15 industrial proposals to manufacture a range of products from footwear to ships and missiles, with a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
AGRI IN OR NOT?
— Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative NEW YORK/WASHINGTON: India will lower tariffs on a “vast array” of American industrial and agricultural goods, such as “fruits” and “vegetables”, to 0% under the trade deal announced by President Donald...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TN breaches 1L cancer cases in a yr, city tops
CHENNAI: For the first time, Tamil Nadu has recorded over 1 lakh new cancer cases in a single year, with Chennai carrying the highest caseload. The latest data for 2025 reveals a total of 1,00,097 newly registered cases — 53,542 women and 46,555...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Summit fetches Rs 22,800 crore; CM announces 1st int’l Tamil biennale
In a major boost to the State’s and the government’s ability to attract investments, the first Tamil Nadu Global Tourism Summit at Mahabalipuram has attracted investments to the tune of Rs 22,795 crore through 127 memoranda of understanding, with the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MUTED
NEW DELHI: Strengthening defence, short on big-ticket announcements, nothing on the personal income-tax front. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive budget on Sunday that was conspicuous for its sombre mood that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
No idea about Sunetra’s swearing-in as Deputy CM; Ajit planned merger: Sr Pawar
BARAMATI: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed he had “no idea” about the swearing-in of Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, as Maharashtra deputy chief minister, and said that his late nephew had finalised February 12 to announce a merger...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GCC moves to microchip cattle, makes licences must for owners
Under the proposed move, aimed at curbing stray cattle menace on roads, improve traceability and enforce accountability, cattle owners will be required to submit application for the licence at zonal veterinary offices. After field verification by...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Indian economy cautiously optimistic amid global shocks
CHENNAI: While the Centre-ruling BJP-led NDA has projected the Economic Survey 2025-26 as a document of confidence, continuity and promise, the Survey itself delivers a far more guarded message, warning that India’s growth story remains exposed to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SHOCK EXIT FOR MAHA REBEL
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Wednesday. The 66-year-old leader’s death has not only left a vacuum in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Us & EU Fighting Tariffs Away
India and the European Union on Tuesday announced the conclusion of negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA), described as the ‘mother of all deals’, under which 93%% of Indian shipments will enjoy duty-free access to the 27-nation bloc, while...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HAWK-LIKE ON TIES
NEW DELHI: Chastened by the mercurial manner in which US President Donald Trump is handling ties, India and the 27-nation bloc European Union is scripting a continental shift in relationship, and will announce the ambitious free trade deal, strategic...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
City to get India’s first paediatric super speciality hosp: Health Min
CHENNAI: Chief Minister Stalin will lay the foundation stone for India’s first super speciality paediatric hospital and research centre at Guindy on January 27 (Tuesday), even as the State launches a free HPV vaccination programme for 14-year-old girls...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
1 lakh new homes: CM’s welfare push
CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced the construction of one lakh new houses at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam housing scheme, stating that two lakh houses have already been completed. Replying to the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)