The New Indian Express Chennai - March 21, 2025

In this issue

March 21, 2025

Do not release NIRF rank list: HC to ministry

THE Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday, in an interim stay order, restrained the Union Education Ministry and the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) from publishing the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rank list for 2025.

1 min

Elon Musk's X Sues Indian Govt Over Content Blocking, Misuse of IT Rules

ELON Musk-led social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court against the Centre, accusing it of illegally blocking content on the platform.

1 min

US Detains Indian Student for Alleged Hamas Support

US federal authorities have detained an Indian citizen who came to the country legally on a student visa and threatened to deport him, claiming he posed a risk to American foreign policy.

1 min

30 More Naxals Killed in C'garh

AT least 30 members of the banned CPI (Maoist) were killed in two separate encounters in Bastar division on Thursday, as security forces intensified operations against left-wing insurgency in south Chhattisgarh.

1 min

3,300 Driver-Cum-Conductors To Be Recruited Across State

WITH mounting debts amounting to several thousand crores of rupees, state transport corporations have halted the recruitment of conductors, and instead, initiated the recruitment for driver-cum-conductor (DCC) positions.

1 min

Non-cert goods seized from godowns of e-comm firms

OFFICIALS of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted raids at Amazon and Flipkart warehouses in Thiruvallur, seizing non-certified products violating quality control regulations.

1 min

HC Asks ED To Halt Proceedings In Tasmac Case

Corporation says employees, including women, harassed; central agency asked to produce case records by Tuesday

1 min

Over 1 Lakh Students Enrol in Govt Schools in March; Tiruchy Tops List

MORE than 1 lakh students have enrolled in government and government-aided schools since the enrolment drive began on March 20.

1 min

Murder of Three Dalits: HC Commutes Death Penalty of 4 to Life Term

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently commuted the death penalty imposed on four persons to life imprisonment in a case pertaining to the murder of three SC men in Udappankulam village of Tenkasi in 2014.

1 min

Two men with 102 kg ganja arrested near Maduravoyal

THE Tambaram city police arrested two persons near Maduravoyal bypass on Thursday and seized 102 kg ganja, a car, and two mobilephones.

1 min

Biz partners among 4 held for kidnapping man

FOUR people were arrested for kidnapping a businessman on Tuesday and locking him up in a lodge in Guindy for money.

1 min

TN Gets French Invite to Join Coalition on Ocean Rise Conf

FRANCE has invited TN to join the global coalition on Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience.

1 min

After snag, metro trial run smooth on Mullaithottam-Poonamallee line

The trial is dubbed as a major step towards opening Poonamallee-Porur elevated corridor

1 min

Tamil Nadu recorded lowest number of murders in 12 years in 2024: Stalin

CHIEF Minister MK Stalin on Thursday asserted that the state police are functioning independently, taking legal action against anti-social elements irrespective of their status or political affiliations.

2 mins

Law & order duel: CM asks EPS to hear him, AIADMK MLAs scoot

Opposition leader lists murders; Stalin says govt acting without favour, reminds House of what happened in Thoothukudi police firing & Sathankulam cases

2 mins

Centre Yet To Release ₹2.9K Crore Of Pending MGNREGA Wages: Min

ELECTRICITY Minister V Senthilbalaji, during Thursday's Assembly session, said that the previous AIADMK regime did not provide 24x7 three-phase power supply to agriculture motors, but it released a GO in this regard just two days before the declaration of state elections in 2021.

1 min

Salem history-sheeter's murder: Five more suspects arrested, 2 surrender

A day after John (34), a history-sheeter from Salem was hacked to death by a gang near Nasiyanur, two suspects surrendered in court on Thursday morning.

1 min

TVK chief spars with oppn, treasury benches; CM warns of action

IN perhaps the first such instance of heated argument between the ruling DMK and one of its allies in the Assembly, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi founder and MLA T Velmurugan sparred with the Chair, the opposition and treasury benches. This led to Chief Minister M K Stalin urging the speaker to take action against him.

1 min

ED searches house of Kovai SDPI member, arrests him

AT the end of day-long searches, officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested a functionary of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and took him into custody for further investigation.

1 min

PMK Calls For Caste Census, Ministers Assert Only Union Govt Has Authority

A heated debate unfolded in the Assembly over the demand for a caste census and the political claims surrounding Tamil Nadu's 69% reservation policy.

1 min

Cognizant's city learning centre to train one lakh professionals every year

COGNIZANT is set to establish a 14-acre Immersive Learning Centre at its Siruseri campus in Chennai, reinforcing its commitment to talent development and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven workforce transformation.

1 min

Scrap 80:20 policy for PhD seats in Thiruvalluvar univ

THIRUVALLUVAR University's 80:20 admission policy for PhD programmes has sparked discontent among part-time candidates, particularly assistant professors.

1 min

Govt homes built just 10 years ago turn unusable, 444 families told to vacate

Residents demand detailed investigation into poor construction, seek alternate housing

1 min

SC Sub-Categorisation Will Be Done Based on 2026 Census, Says Naidu

The AP Legislative Assembly on Thursday discussed the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) based on the One Man Commission report by retired IAS officer Rajeev Ranjan Mishra.

1 min

Devi Awards Celebrate 15 Women For Their Contributions In Kochi

SUN glitter off Kochi's Marine Drive shimmered brighter than usual on Thursday evening as TNIE honoured 15 women icons with the Devi Awards at Taj Vivanta for their outstanding contributions across diverse fields, from feminist activism to fashion innovation.

1 min

K'taka Min Claims Honey-Trap Bid, HM Orders Probe

Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna says he was targeted; BJP MLA calls it blackmail

1 min

Stalin, Pinarayi & K'taka min to take part in CPM party congress

TAMIL NADU Chief Minister MK Stalin and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will attend the CPI(M)'s 24th Party Congress at Tamukkam Ground in Madurai on April 3, said CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam on Thursday.

1 min

The Imperial Agenda Behind Trump's Greenland Gambit

WHY is US President Donald Trump hyperventilating about Greenland?

3 mins

The Need to Use Creative Destruction

Bringing in fresh blood often requires purging old systems. But that has hardly been the case for the Indian economy, where protection has been prioritized over risk-taking

4 mins

Nod to ₹54K cr for defence acquisition

IN a move to enhance the capability of the armed forces, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday approved acquisition of a plethora of military hardware worth more than ₹54,000 crore, including airborne early-warning and control-aircraft systems, torpedoes and engines for T-90 tanks.

1 min

Acid attack survivors can move legal services authority for comp delay: SC

The top court on Thursday said acid attack survivors should approach their respective state legal services authority (SLSA) if the compensation they are entitled to is delayed, while also asserting that survivors should not refrain from getting admitted to private hospitals of their preference.

1 min

Delimitation T-shirts trigger House uproar

THE Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on Thursday faced frequent adjournments amid a row over DMK MPs entering the Houses wearing white T-shirts with slogans opposing the delimitation exercise.

1 min

49 Indians on death row in 8 countries, House told

THE government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that 49 Indians are currently sentenced to death in eight different countries, awaiting the implementation of their sentences.

1 min

Hasina kin alleges targeted attack on former PM

BRITISH Labour politician and former minister Tulip Siddiq, the niece of Sheikh Hasina, has accused Bangladeshi authorities of launching a \"targeted and baseless\" campaign against her and urged an immediate end to the \"damaging allegations.\"

1 min

Slogan raises constitutional issue, no undermining of Parliament: DMK MP

THE slogan \"fair delimitation to Tamil Nadu\" is one of the requirements under the Constitution and it doesn't undermine the decorum of Parliament, says Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson.

1 min

India-NZ Bilateral Relations Focus on Defence, PM Luxon Visits INS Surat

PRIME Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon, along with Rear Admiral Garin Golding, Chief of Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, visited the latest indigenously built destroyer of the Indian Navy, INS Surat, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, on Thursday.

1 min

5 get one-year jail term for burning leopard in cage

THE Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Pauri, Uttarakhand, has sentenced five villagers, including former village head, to one year of imprisonment for setting a captive leopard ablaze.

1 min

Bulldozers used against Gujarat bootleggers

Despite the Supreme Court guidelines requiring local administrations to issue notices before demolishing encroachments, Gujarat authorities have taken a more direct approach to address rising lawlessness.

1 min

Once neighbours, sparrows now face extinction

THE sparrow has become a rare sight in today's urban sprawl, leaving many children unfamiliar with this charming companion.

1 min

Grabbing minor's breasts not enough to charge accused with rape bid: HC

THE Allahabad High Court refused to acknowledge grabbing the breasts of a minor girl along with breaking her pajama strings, and trying to drag her beneath the culvert, an enough act to charge an accused with the offence of rape, or an attempt to rape.

1 min

Shah Likely to Visit Bihar on March 29 to Firm Up Poll Plan

HOME minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Bihar on March 29 to discuss the strategy for the state assembly elections due in October-November this year.

1 min

Main accused among six booked for sedition, curfew lifted in Nagpur

THREE days after the mob-related violence over Aurangzeb's tomb, curfew was lifted in some parts of Nagpur city and relaxed in a few others on Thursday.

1 min

After Disha Salian's father seeks FIR, Maha demand against Aaditya intensifies

MEMBERS of the ruling Maha Yuti on Thursday raised the Disha Salian death controversy in both houses of Maharashtra legislature, a day after her father Satish Salian approached the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI probe and registration of an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray and others.

1 min

Barricades Dismantled as Traffic on Two Haryana Borders Resumed

Farm leader Dallewal shifted to Jalandhar under tight security, Punjab clears roads on its side

2 mins

Peacekeeping force in Ukraine on the table

SENIOR officers from countries across Europe and beyond will meet late on Thursday at a military headquarters on the outskirts of London to flesh out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine as details of a partial ceasefire are worked out.

1 min

EU Delaying Tariffs on US Goods by Two Weeks

The European Union said Thursday its tariffs targeting American goods in retaliation for US levies on steel and aluminum would start in mid-April, two weeks later than planned, to give more time for dialogue.

1 min

All eyes on Riyadh as Russia to hold talks with US on Ukraine Monday

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urges EU leaders to step up weapon supplies; says Kremlin must stop making unnecessary demands

1 min

French citizen freed after 880 days in prison in Iran

A French citizen imprisoned in Iran for over 880 days has been freed, French officials said Thursday.

1 min

India 118th in World Happiness Report, Nordic nations top

INDIA ranked 118th in the World Happiness Report 2025 published Thursday, up from the 126th position in the previous year but below countries such as Nepal, Pakistan, Ukraine and Palestine.

1 min

Israeli Strikes Across Gaza Hit Scores of Homes, Kill at Least 85 Palestinians

ISRAELI strikes killed at least 85 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Thursday, according to local health officials.

1 min

Trump to order a plan to shut down Education dept in US

PRESIDENT Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the shutdown of the US Education Department, according to a White House official, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that's been a long-time target of conservatives.

1 min

Govt Discusses Content Woes With Grok AI

THE Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is in discussions with Elon Musk's Grok over concerns about its content.

1 min

Apple, Samsung Dominate Smartphone Exports in '24

INDIA's smartphone export in 2024 was dominated by Apple and Samsung, with the two companies accounting for approximately 94% of all shipments, according to a report by Counterpoint Research.

1 min

Hero MotoCorp invests ₹525 cr in Euler for EV three-wheelers

HERO MotoCorp (HMCL), the leading two-wheeler manufacturer, is making a strategic entry into the rapidly growing electric three-wheeler market with an investment of up to ₹525 crore (approximately $60 million) in Euler Motors, a company specialising in electric three-wheelers.

1 min

Equity markets rebound; up 3% in 4 sessions

This upward trend marks a shift from prolonged bearish sentiment that had dominated market for several months

1 min

Manappuram sells 18% to Bain for ₹4,385 cr

THE second largest pure-play gold loan player Manappuram Finance has inked a deal with Bain Capital, under which the latter will acquire 18% in the Thrissur, Kerala-based company for ₹4,385 crore.

1 min

Hindalco to invest ₹45,000 cr in metals, enter EV space

Hindalco Unveils New Growth-Focused Logo

1 min

BIS Crackdown on Amazon, Flipkart Warehouses, Substandard Goods Seized

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has raided e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart warehouses across several cities and seized substandard products including toys, bottles, and speakers as these products were found without the mandatory BIS Quality Mark, violating the BIS Act, 2016.

1 min

Govt orders probe into Ola Electric sales discrepancy

The Heavy Industries Ministry has directed the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) to investigate the discrepancy between Ola Electric's reported sales figures and the actual vehicle registrations, alongside numerous consumer complaints against the company, as per sources aware of the development.

1 min

Thakur gets boost as HP HC directs BFI to include name

In a major setback to Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh, the Himachal Pradesh High Court also stayed the letter issued by him on March 7.

2 mins

MOP Vaishnav College win handball title

MOP Vaishnav College for Women bagged the title in the Sports Spark 2K25 handball inter-collegiate tournament organised by New Prince Shri Bhavani College of Engineering & Technology.

1 min

IPL: Saliva use back, captains

COME Saturday, the sight of bowlers and players using saliva to shine the ball will be a common sight during the Indian Premier League.

1 min

Exempted From Ban For Slow Over-Rate

Meanwhile, the provision to introduce the second new ball to counter the dew advantage will also come into place this season.

1 min

India Submits EOI to Host CWG 2030

India has formally submitted an Expression of Interest to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in 2030.

1 min

Srikanth, Rajawat and Sindhu out of Swiss Open

TWO-TIME Olympic medallist and seventh seed PV Sindhu's poor run continued as she crashed out in the opening of the women's singles event of the Swiss Open Super 300, losing 17-21 19-21 against lower ranked Julie Jakobsen of Denmark on Wednesday.

1 min

Test of pace: Can the senior pros deliver?

Bhuvneshwar, Shami and Siraj, three experienced Indian pacers, will have a lot to prove in the upcoming season

3 mins

Kirsty the first woman IOC president

KIRSTY Coventry has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee and become the first woman and first African to get perhaps the biggest job in global sports.

1 min

KIIT-DU and University of Tulsa, USA Sign MoU to Launch Dual Degree Program in Computer Science

This partnership is a strategic move that will create valuable academic pathways and global career opportunities for students while fostering educational ties between the two nations.

2 mins

Gen AI has permanently altered the fraud landscape

As Gen AI gained traction, so did social engineering scams.

1 min

THE AI ASSISTANT THAT'S MAKING WAVES IN INDIA

ROK, an AI assistant developed by Elon Musk's company XAI, has been making headlines for both good and bad reasons.

3 mins

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