The New Indian Express Chennai - January 28, 2025

In this issue

January 28, 2025

Samsung union gets TN labour dept's approval

AFTER a prolonged battle, the Tamil Nadu Labour Department on Monday issued the certificate of registration to the CITU-affiliated Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) under the Trade Unions Act, 1926.

2 mins

HC reserves order on CBI probe in MUDA

THE Karnataka High Court on Monday reserved its order on a petition seeking transfer of the MUDA case, currently being probed by the Lokayukta police, to the CBI.

1 min

Waqf Bill Gets JPC Nod With 14 Amendments

Report expected to be tabled in Parliament ahead of February 5 Delhi assembly polls

1 min

Modi, Trump Discuss West Asia, Ukraine in Wide-Ranging Talks

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed a range of issues, including the wars in West Asia and Ukraine, in their first telephonic conversation after the latter was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.

1 min

Feting New Ideas, Old Wisdom

Impactful conversations and thought-provoking debates marked the 13th edition of the ThinkEdu Conclave held at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai on Monday.

2 mins

Three minors among 6 held for sexual assault of schoolgirls

SIX youths, including three juveniles, were held by Greater Chennai Police on Monday on charges of sexually assaulting three schoolgirls.

1 min

11 TN Devis to be honoured today

THE prestigious Devi Awards returns to Chennai today, celebrating its 31st edition with a powerful lineup of inspiring women achievers.

1 min

Conservancy supervisor booked for verbally abusing SC worker

A 52-year-old conservancy worker, belonging to a Scheduled Caste, was allegedly subjected to harassment using sexually abusive language last week by a conservancy supervisor in Sriperumbudur municipality after she allegedly objected to the supervisor asking her to pick up human excreta while cleaning a crematorium.

1 min

All govt primary schools in TN turn 'smart' with inauguration of 22,931st classroom

MARKING the completion of the state's project to establish smart classrooms for primary classes in government schools across Tamil Nadu, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Monday inaugurated the 22,931st smart classroom for the Government Higher Secondary School in Okkiyam Thoraipakkam.

1 min

Judges Reserve Orders in Beach Sand Mining Case

The Madras High Court has reserved the orders in the case pertaining to illegal mining of beach sand minerals (BSM) in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts.

1 min

Court refuses to stay proceedings against min in MCC violation case

THE Madras High Court on Monday refused to stay the proceedings against Tamil Nadu Minister for Dairy Development RS Rajakannappan regarding violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the Assembly polls in 2021.

1 min

IIT-M to hold 'Asia's first' Global Hyperloop contest

INDIAN Institute of Technology Madras will organise a Global Hyperloop Competition (GHC) 2025 – the first international competition to be held in Asia—from February 21 to 25, a release stated.

1 min

No Turtle Excluder Device, no subsidy, TN fishers told after task force meet

Karaikal, Cuddalore and Nagai trawlers with 'illegal Chinese engines' blamed for turtle deaths

2 mins

HC Seeks DGP's Suggestions on Improving Court Security

EXPRESSING concern over accused in the Armstrong murder case allegedly sneaking country-made bombs into the court campus, the Madras High Court on Monday directed the Director General of Police (DGP) and bar associations to submit their suggestions for strengthening security and surveillance on the court premises.

1 min

Manipur is a case of out of mind & out of sight: MP flays centre

A panel discussion on challenges and opportunities faced by first-time MPs in an era dominated by social media saw young MPs from both ends of the political spectrum speak their mind on a host of issues.

1 min

Modern times call for learning three languages

Though the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has no official stance on a two-language or three-language policy, RSS joint general secretary Mukunda CR believes that modern times necessitate learning at least three languages: one's mother tongue, a regional language and a career language.

1 min

Course-correct to achieve the Vishwaguru status: Swamy

ECONOMIST and thinker Subramanian Swamy has urged India to course-correct its economic, foreign, and military policies to achieve Vishwaguru status within the next 15 years.

1 min

Engaging with people more rewarding than attending Parl: Tharoor

CONGRESS MP and former union minister Shashi Tharoor acknowledged the growing rift between the government and opposition and expressed dissatisfaction with the declining quality of parliamentary debate and proceedings.

1 min

Assess performance, not NHRC DNA

Citing fundamental flaw in argument, NHRC chief questions global body for deferring accreditation for nat'l panel

2 mins

'Ideal testing model will have huge question bank'

As the number of students aspiring for higher education surges, the need for a robust, error-free, and student-centric national-level entrance examination has become paramount.

1 min

Selvaraghavan told me not to take characters home, says actor Karthi

It was director Selvaraghavan who advised Meiyazhagan star Karthi to leave his characters behind at the end of a day's shoot.

1 min

Vice-chancellors bat for inclusivity in education

IN the ever-evolving landscape of Indian education, two prominent academicians—Dr Ujwala Chakradeo, Vice-Chancellor of SNDT Women's University, and Prof Basuthkar J Rao, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hyderabad (UoH)—endorsed inclusivity in campuses.

1 min

Educators chart a new course for Gen Z learning

IN a session titled \"The \"Cool\" in School: Teaching Gen Z & Beyond,\" heads of leading schools provided a roadmap to educate Generation Z.

1 min

Congress in search of a new look

Party's data wing chief accepts the need for an overhaul, wants centre to consult opposition parties on policy matters

2 mins

Experts underscore need to reshape medical and engineering education

EDUCATORS underscored the need to reshape medical and engineering education, with a focus on mental resilience and adaptability to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving workforce, at the ThinkEdu Conclave 2025.

1 min

AI will not eliminate jobs, but redefine them, says Nair

AS artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform human-machine interactions, Shekar Nair, co-founder of Upekkha, an AI-focused startup accelerator, emphasised that while AI may not eliminate all jobs, it will fundamentally reshape roles by replacing individuals who fail to adapt and integrate AI into their work.

1 min

Holistic approach needed for AI regulation

DR Balaraman Ravindran walked the audience through the history and potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the 13th edition of the ThinkEdu Conclave in Chennai on Monday.

1 min

NDMA team completes need assessment in Cyclone-hit districts

A multi-sectoral team comprising 13 experts from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and officials of the Tamil Nadu government undertook a 'post-disaster need assessment' in the districts affected by Cyclone Fengal on January 24, 25 and 26.

1 min

Transfer Vengaivayal case to sessions court: CB-CID

THE three people named as accused in the Vengaivayal case on Monday filed a petition with the special court seeking a copy of the charge sheet submitted to it by the CB-CID police.

1 min

TN surpasses CEA target, generates 4,231 MU hydropower in 2024-25

TAMIL NADU Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) surpassed the hydropower generation target set by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for the current financial year (2024-25). As on January 24, the corporation had generated 4,231.351 million units (MU) of hydropower, exceeding the CEA's annual target of 4,220 MU.

1 min

It's My Dream To See A Dalit CM In Tamil Nadu: Guv

Governor RN Ravi on Monday said he would like to see a Dalit become CM of Tamil Nadu, want members of this community at the helm of affairs, holding their head high.

1 min

Send e-mail to UGC against draft guidelines, DMK urges students

'Draft gives power to governors in selecting V-Cs, excludes state govts from selection process'

2 mins

R-Day fete: CM gives away prizes to students, govt depts

CHIEF Minister MK Stalin on Monday presented prizes to schools which won prizes in the cultural programmes performed during the Republic Day parade on the Marina and the three floats from government departments which highlighted their achievements during the pageantry of floats.

1 min

Thangam Urges Nirmala to Release ₹1,635 Crore for MGNREGS Workers

FINANCE Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Monday called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum urging her to release ₹1,635 crore immediately towards the disbursement of wages for workers under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

1 min

Probing Cyber Fraud, ED Arrests 2 Masterminds in Kolkata, Delhi

INVESTIGATING a \"digital arrest\" cyber scam case where a Chennai woman was defrauded of ₹33 lakh, the Enforcement Directorate's Chennai zone has arrested two masterminds in Kolkata and New Delhi while they were fleeing the country, an official release on Monday said.

1 min

Flagpoles must be off TN roads in 3 months: HC

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday ordered the removal of all flagpoles installed by political parties and other organisations in public places and on government land across the state within three months.

1 min

Three live turtles released into sea

GULF of Mannar Biosphere reserve forest officials seized three live sea turtles from a boat near the old fishing harbour and released them into the deep sea.

1 min

Apollo Sets Milestone in Breast Cancer Treatment

APOLLO Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) has achieved a significant milestone by performing India's first endoscopic mastectomy with reconstruction on a 46-year-old breast cancer patient.

1 min

Sanatana Dharma remark: SC junks pleas against dy CM

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear three petitions seeking criminal action against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for his controversial ‘eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ remark in September 2023.

1 min

Student stabs female friend, dies by suicide

A 19-year-old college student attacked his female friend with a knife after she turned down his proposal and allegedly died by suicide on Monday.

1 min

Woman, 2 girls drown in abandoned T'ppur quarry

A 29-year-old woman and her two daughters drowned on Monday while washing clothes at an abandoned private stone quarry filled with rainwater near Palladam in the district.

1 min

FIR leak in Anna univ case: SC stays HC remarks on TN cops

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Madras High Court order directing the Tamil Nadu government to initiate a departmental probe over the FIR leak in the alleged sexual assault case of a female student of Anna University.

1 min

As It Looks East, Pak Faces Trouble On Western Front

Pakistan's western border is being disputed by the Afghan Taliban, which has reached out to India. This loss of strategic depth makes our neighbour vulnerable to manipulation

4 mins

NEED TO SHIFT GEARS AFTER A DECADE OF BETI BACHAO

Here's a saying in Haryana, \"Beti nahi bachaaoge, toh bahu kahaan se laaoge (If you don't save daughters, from where will you bring daughters-in-law) ?\"

3 mins

'BJP will come to power with 2/3rd majority in Delhi'

BJP national vice-president and Delhi in-charge Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda predicts that the party will come to power with a two thirds majority, asserting that people want ‘double-engine’ and ‘conflict-free’ governance in the national capital. He tells Rajesh Kumar Thakur that there is widespread public resentment against AAP over lack of development and unfulfilled promises. Excerpts:

2 mins

ONOE key for our democracy, says Modi

PM cites logistical challenges of frequent polls, highlights importance of electoral system for future of the youth

2 mins

Trump Crackdown on New York Gurdwaras for ‘Undocumented Aliens’

Sikh-American bodies voice concern over order

1 min

India, China to resume direct flight service, Mansarovar yatra

INDIA and China have agreed upon a slew of people-centric measures to stabilise and rebuild the relationship between two nations following an agreement last October aimed at easing tensions along the border during a two-day visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Beijing that ended on Monday.

1 min

India, Indonesia Navy Hold Talks on Security Ties

Discussion on Brahmos deal, to be finalised soon

1 min

SC asks Centre to 'do something' in making snakebite treatment available

NOTING that snakebites were prevalent throughout the country, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to take states on board to \"do something\" in making treatment available in medical facilities.

1 min

Chhaava director says dance scenes to be cut

AFTER Hindi film 'Chhaava', based on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, landed in a controversy with people objecting to a Lezim dance sequence involving the warrior-king and Maharani Yesubai, director Laxman Utekar on Monday decided to delete the scenes.

1 min

Life Sentence for IG in Custody Death Case in HP

A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Chandigarh on Monday sentenced Himachal Pradesh Inspector General of Police Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven police personnel to life imprisonment in a case of custodial death of an accused in a gang rape and murder of a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Kotkhai of the hill state.

1 min

Parents not keen on death to Roy

RG KAR RAPE-MURDER: Calcutta HC reserves verdict on pleas moved by Bengal govt & CBI

2 mins

U'khand 1st state to implement UCC, portal launched

UTTARAKHAND has become the first state in India to adopt a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a groundbreaking decision designed to guarantee equal rights for all citizens, irrespective of their religious backgrounds.

1 min

Data theft gang abducts stock market influencer

IN a sophisticated cybercrime operation on the outskirts of Vadodara, criminals posing as cyber cell officers kidnapped a prominent social media influencer and subjected him to digital extortion.

1 min

BJP bets big on 'Chaiwala', gives ticket for Raigarh mayoral seat

THE Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded 46-year-old Jeevardhan Chauhan, a tea-seller by occupation, as its candidate for the reserved Scheduled Caste (SC) mayoral seat in the upcoming elections for Raigarh Municipal Corporation in Chhattisgarh.

1 min

At Cong's Jai Samvidhan rally, Rahul takes on BJP for 'insulting' Ambedkar

CANTONMENT town Mhow, which houses the birthplace of Indian Constitution's architect Dr BR Ambedkar in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh's Indore district, on Monday hosted the opposition Congress's second Jai Bapu-Jai Bhim-Jai Samvidhan mega rally.

1 min

Sex Scandal Rocks Fuji TV Network in Japan

THE Japanese network Fuji Television and its parent company said on Monday that its president and chairperson were resigning immediately to take responsibility for a widening sex assault scandal linked to one of Japan's top TV celebrities.

1 min

Silicon Valley Rattled by Low-Cost Chinese AI App DeepSeek

FEARS that the AI gold rush could be under threat rocked Wall Street on Monday following the emergence of a ChatGPT-like model from China, triggering predictions of turmoil for Silicon Valley and accusations of cheating.

1 min

Thousands of Palestinians Return Home After Israel Lifts Gaza Block

Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed into Gaza's most heavily destroyed area on Monday under a fragile ceasefire after Israel opened the north for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas.

1 min

Colombia Caves After Trump Threat, Accepts Citizens Deported From US

Don warned of steep tariffs, Secy of State Rubio suspended issuance of visas in Bogota

1 min

Smallcap index sheds more than 13% in January

Indices decline over 1% on weak global cues, uncertainty surrounding US trade policy

2 mins

Federal Bank Profit Falls 5% to ₹955 Crore

PRIVATE sector lender Federal Bank on Monday reported a 5% decline in net profit at ₹955 crore for the third quarter of the current financial year.

1 min

Smallcap index sheds more than 13% in January

Indices decline over 1% on weak global cues, uncertainty surrounding US trade policy

2 mins

Indian Oil Profit Falls 76.57% on Sluggish Sales

STATE-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Monday reported a 76.57% decline in consolidated net profit to ₹2,115 crore for the third quarter (Q3) of the financial year 2024-25 (FY25), due to weaker refining margins and rising expenses.

1 min

RBI Appoints Administrator for Aviom Housing

CITING serious governance lapses and defaults in various payment obligations, the Reserve Bank has superseded the management and board of home loan company Aviom India Housing Finance and appointed Ram Kumar, ex-chief general manager of Punjab National Bank, as the administrator and said soon it would initiate insolvency and bankruptcy process.

1 min

Crypto Industry Expects Simple Tax Structures, Compliance in Budget '25

WITH Bitcoin prices continuing to rise and US President Donald Trump's order of creating a cryptocurrency working group, the virtual assets industry in India says the momentum is building up and that the country should remain in the forefront.

1 min

Canara Bank Profit Rises 12% on Non-Core Income

Canara Bank on Monday posted a 12% rise in net profit to ₹4,104 crore for the December quarter despite a poor show on margins and net interest income.

1 min

Sridhar Vembu steps down as CEO of Zoho

SaaS unicorn Zoho Corp's co-founder Sridhar Vembu will step down as the company's CEO and assume a new role as Chief Scientist.

1 min

Govt invites applications for Sebi chief

Application deadline for Sebi chief till February 17

1 min

ITC Hotels shares to be listed on bourses on Jan 29

KOLKATA-based FMCG to cigarette conglomerate - ITC Ltd - on Monday announced that ITC Hotels will be listed on the stock exchanges on January 29.

1 min

RBI plans slew of measures to inject ₹1.5 lakh cr liquidity into the system

FACED with rising liquidity crunch, which has crossed ₹3 lakh crore mark many times in recent weeks, the Reserve Bank on Monday announced a slew of liquidity measures, including a ₹60,000 crore of open market operation (purchasing government securities) in three tranches and holding a 56-day variable rate repo auction for ₹50,000 crore, among others.

1 min

Teething issues in swimming

THE Swimming Federation of India had some harrowing experience before putting out a tweet on Monday.

1 min

Stars missing as meet begins today

STAGE is set for the National Games in Uttarakhand. A grand Opening Ceremony on Tuesday will mark the first day of the January 28-February 14 multi-discipline domestic mega event.

1 min

Bagan sink Bengaluru FC

MOHUN Bagan Super Giant edged out Bengaluru FC 1-0 to extend their lead at the top of the Indian Super League points table here on Monday.

1 min

Railways wrestlers without pay, referees to receive TA and DA

STANDOFF between the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) continues to haunt wrestlers even as they prepare to compete at the National Games.

1 min

Russian javelin coach for India

ATHLETICS Federation of India will have a new foreign coach for javelin – Russia's Makarov Sergey Aleksandrovich.

1 min

SA20: Paarl beat Durban

RUBIN Hermann (59) and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (43) helped Paarl Royals beat Durban Super Giants by six wickets in a SA20 league match at the Boland Park on Monday.

1 min

Sachin bowls Tamil Nadu to victory

SACHIN Rathi's 5/25 helped Tamil Nadu to beat Odisha by an innings and 41 runs in the Elite A league round match of the Col CK Nayudu tourney played at NPR college grounds, Natham, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.

1 min

Uzbek GM declines handshake with Vaishali, apologises later

GRANDMASTER Nodirbek Yakubboev's refusal to shake hands with Indian GM R Vaishali stirred up a controversy at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament before the Uzbek apologised, saying that he meant no disrespect and didn't respond to the gesture because of \"religious reasons\".

1 min

Coach Kotak happy to give and take wisdom

Part of coaching staff, veteran keen on lifting young guns & seniors

2 mins

Bumrah & Mandhana Reap Top ICC Awards

JASPRIT Bumrah was named the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year 2024 while Smriti Mandhana won the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year honour, the global governing body announced on Monday.

1 min

Shifting Gazes, Reframing Violence

One in three women experience violence. We know that, out of that, only 23% are even talking about it.

2 mins

Calm and composed takes the win!

HE final of the UTT 86th Junior and Youth national table tennis championships at Vadodara was electrifying, to say the least. On one end of the table was Tamil Nadu's M Hansini and on the other was Haryana's Suhana Saini.

2 mins

ECHOES OF A SCARLET FLAME

In her debut novel, Footprints, writer Neetha John delves into myriad themes from mental health and family dynamics to peculiarities of modern love. Talking to CE, she details her writing process, the narrative style she chose, and leaving a bit of her behind in these pages.

5 mins

Back to the basics

(This economics graduate spends her leisure time preparing for the zombie apocalypse)

2 mins

Ancient Siva Temple Connected With Garuda

UDAVASAL (Kodavasal), an ancient place in Thiruvarur district, has two ancient temples, one for Vishnu known as the Srinivasa Perumal temple and the other for Siva, wherein this deity is worshipped as Koneshwarar and also as Konanathan.

2 mins

Skits to silver screen

Actors Hari Baskar and Losliya Mariyanesan speak about Mr Housekeeping and compare the creative process of online content creation and films

2 mins

Anurag Kashyap, Nushrratt Bharuccha To Collaborate

Actor Nushrratt Bharuchha will soon be collaborating with director Anurag Kashyap and producer Vishal Rana of Echelon Productions for a thriller.

1 min

Diverse roles help you stay relevant

In the recently released comedy-drama Hisaab Barabar, R Madhavan plays Radhe Shyam, a sincere ticket checker in the Indian railways, who is obsessed with mathematics and numbers.

3 mins

It's a wrap for Jackie Chan's The Shadow's Edge

The filming of Jackie Chan's upcoming film The Shadow's Edge, directed by Larry Yang, has been completed.

1 min

Skits to silver screen

Actors Hari Baskar and Losliya Mariyanesan speak about Mr Housekeeping and compare the creative process of online content creation and films

1 min

Read all stories from The New Indian Express Chennai

The New Indian Express Chennai Newspaper Description:

The New Indian Express Chennai is an English-language daily newspaper published in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the most popular English newspapers in Tamil Nadu, covering a wide range of topics, including:

* Local news: The New Indian Express Chennai covers all aspects of local news in Chennai, from politics and crime to business and entertainment.
* State news: The newspaper also covers news from across Tamil Nadu, including government policies, development projects, and social issues.
* National news: The New Indian Express Chennai also covers national news and events, including politics, business, and economy.
* International news: The newspaper also covers international news and events, with a focus on South Asia and the Indian diaspora.
* Culture and entertainment: The New Indian Express Chennai also features articles on culture, entertainment, and lifestyle.

The New Indian Express Chennai is known for its in-depth reporting, investigative journalism, and editorial independence. It is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to stay informed about the latest news and developments in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and India.