Top IBN Tamil Nadu News- IBNLive.com

All eyes on BCCI's N Srinivasan after Meiyappan's arrest

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:21:22 +0530

BCCI Chief N Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch for his alleged involvement in betting the IPL matches late Friday night. The move threatens the future of the franchise and perhaps his father-in-law N Srinivasan as the BCCI's top boss.

Watch: CSK CEO Meiyappan leaves from Srinivasan's Kodaikanal residence

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:58:50 +0530

Chennai Super Kings CEO Gurunath Meiyappan left his father-in-law and BCCI chief N Srinivasan's Kodaikanal residence on Friday afternoon. Sources say he will take a flight to Mumbai from the Madurai airport. Sources say Meiyappan consulted his lawyers and has decided to appear for questioning by the Mumbai Police.

Sri Lanka releases 26 Indian fishermen

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:27:58 +0530

vTwenty-six Indian fishermen, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on April 5 while fishing off Kodiakarai coast, returned to Karaikal on Friday morning after their release, fisheries department officials said.

PIL filed in Madras HC seeking government takeover of BCCI, IPL

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:30:39 +0530

The Madras High Court has admitted a Public Interest Litigation that seeks a government takeover of the BCCI and the IPL administration. The PIL was filed by a lawyer at the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court.

TN: Released on bail, Ramadoss to undergo heart surgeory

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:05:23 +0530

PMK founder leader S Ramadoss, hospitalised here since his release on bail last week after 12-day imprisonment, would undergo a heart surgery on Monday, the party said.

Karunanidhi pained by internal bickering in DMK

Mon, 20 May 2013 02:15:58 +0530

Pained by continuing internal bickering in his party, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Sunday made a fervent appeal for unity, saying he was grieved over the fact that there was enough squabbling in the ranks that would harm the party more than any external factor. With less than a year left for the next Lok Sabha polls, considered crucial for the DMK after being drubbed by arch-rival AIADMK in the 2011 assembly elections, Karunanidhi said he was aware that many senior party functionaries were at each other's throat.

Congress leader foresees party-led third front in TN

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:27:49 +0530

With the break-up of UPA in Tamil Nadu, Congress leader and former Union minister EVKS Elangovan on Sunday said there was a possibility of his party heading a new alliance sans the two major Dravidian parties - DMK and AIADMK - for the next Lok Sabha elections. Rejecting the charges against Congress over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, he said people were not aware of the party's good work towards the welfare of the Lankan Tamils.

Truck driver arrested for raping five-year-old girl

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:30:15 +0530

A drunk truck-driver who lured away and raped a five-year-old girl in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore town has been arrested, police said on Saturday. According to police, the incident took place May 12, 2013, when 25-year-old K Saravanan was cleaning the vehicle near house of the girl, whose parents had gone out on work.

TN: Man arrested for obscene dance near college hostel

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:33:13 +0530

A 33-year old man was arrested on Saturday for alleged indecent and obscene acts near the government nursing college hostel. The accused had scaled the compound wall of the hostel and stripped himself before dancing, shocking the students, police said.

Farmers threaten mass suicides if power tariff increased

Sat, 18 May 2013 03:15:08 +0530

Farmers in Coimbatore region on Friday threatened that they would resort to mass suicides if government went ahead with its plan to increase power tariff. Representatives of various farmers associations told a public hearing on tariff revision here that the agriculture sector in Tamil Nadu is already in the doldrums due to failure of monsoon and resultant drought.

Chennai: Stalin surrenders illegally-imported Hummer to CBI

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:49:56 +0530

DMK leader MK Stalin on Friday surrendered his illegally-imported Hummer to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Chennai. The CBI had raided the DMK leader's residence in March this year in search of the Hummer.

TN: Jayalalithaa's first 2 years in power see mixed results

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:20:31 +0530

Two years after she stormed into Fort St George, the seat of power in Tamil Nadu, with a massive victory, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has a mixed bag of results to show so far.

TN: Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant commissioning postponed

Wed, 15 May 2013 01:26:52 +0530

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd has postponed the expected date of commissioning of the first unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant to June.

Commissioning of Kudankulam N-plant likely to get delayed

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:57:57 +0530

India's atomic power plant operator, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has shifted the commissioning of the first 1,000 MW unit at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) to June 2013.

TN: PMK's Ramadoss rejects Jayalalithaa's charge

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:35:15 +0530

Rejecting Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's charge that his party was behind the violence in various parts of the state, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss on Tuesday alleged that pro-Dalit Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi was behind the incidents. "The Chief Minister's charge blaming PMK is far from truth," he said in a statement.

TN will ban parties disturbing law and order: Jaya

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:53:42 +0530

Sending a clear message to the political outfits that foment violence, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa warned of banning such parties, as she came down heavily on Pattali Makkal Katchi for the recent arson following the arrest of its leader S Ramadoss. The chief minister lashed out at the PMK in the state assembly and declared that her government would initiate steps to recover damages from the party for the loss caused to public and private property.

TN: Cyclonic storm 'Mahasen' lay 800 km off Chennai coast

Sun, 12 May 2013 10:59:38 +0530

The latest satellite cloud imageries received by the Met office in Chennai indicate that the cyclonic storm 'Mahasen' lay about 850 km southeast of Chennai in the Bay of Bengal.

Information and Communication Technologies festival 2013

Sun, 12 May 2013 09:25:01 +0530

With the ambition of combining the intellectual minds and skills, for the proliferation of knowledge in rural premise, Periyar Maniammai University is organising ICT Festival 2013.

TN: Man arrested for raping woman, survivor's condition critical

Sat, 11 May 2013 04:37:50 +0530

In a shocking incident, an 80-year old woman was allegedly raped by a 41-year-old man following which she was admitted to a hospital in a serious condition.

TN: Ramadoss gets bail in hate speech case, released

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:50:03 +0530

Former union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss, arrested in connection with a hate speech case filed in 2012, was on Thursday released from jail after a Villupuram court granted conditional bail to him, officials said. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader was arrested from his T Nagar residence here on May 3.

Tamil Nadu: Class 12 results announced

Thu, 09 May 2013 03:19:12 +0530

The Directorate of Government Examinations, Chennai on Thursday announced results of Higher Secondary (Class 12) for year 2013.

'Kudankulam plant is almost ready to begin functioning'

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:25:24 +0530

The first unit of the 1,000 MW Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), set up by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL), is almost ready for beginning the fission process, said a top official of the country's atomic regulator.

TN: Woman sets herself ablaze after husband refuses to have food

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:19:50 +0530

Upset over her husband declining to have food prepared by her, a newly married wife took her life by setting herself ablaze at her home near Salem, police said on Tuesday.

UK minister to lead health business delegation to Chennai

Tue, 07 May 2013 05:35:45 +0530

A 26-member British business delegation, led by Kenneth Clarke, cabinet minister and the prime minister's trade envoy, will visit Tamil Nadu this week to promote healthcare partnership with the state. In a statement issued here, the British High Commission said Clarke is expected to meet Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Health Minister KC Veeramani May 8, 2013.

Tamil Nadu to upgrade barren lands for cultivation

Tue, 07 May 2013 04:46:59 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday said her government would upgrade 12,500 acre of barren land into cultivable farm land with adequate water facilities while announcing several schemes for ushering in a second green revolution in the state. "With food production to be affected owing to the reducing cultivable land, my government this year will upgrade 12,500 acres of barren land and to set up proper water facilities a subsidy of Rs.4,000/acre will be given," she told the assembly.

Subramanian Swamy welcomes SC verdict on Kudankulam

Mon, 06 May 2013 06:05:43 +0530

Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict on Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project and said government should now crackdown on any further agitation which disrupts the schedule of its completion.

Kudankulam Nuclear Plant decision now lies with the regulator

Mon, 06 May 2013 03:56:27 +0530

With the apex court giving its nod Monday for the first 1,000 MW unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP), it is now for the regulatory board to give its sanction to operationalise it, an official said. The ball is now in the court of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to give its sanction to operationalise the first unit of KNPP near here, said the official of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL).

SC approves commissioning of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:00:26 +0530

The Supreme Court has given a go ahead to the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. The court has observed that the plant has been set up for the welfare and sustainable growth of the people.

SC to decide the fate of Kudankulam nuclear power plant today

Mon, 06 May 2013 07:21:14 +0530

Ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on the Kudankulam nuclear reactor, sources confirm that the reactor has been fully loaded and tests are presently underway.

SC to decide fate of Kudankulam n-project on Monday

Sun, 05 May 2013 11:15:53 +0530

The Supreme Court on Monday is expected to pronounce its verdict on a plea seeking halt to the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant till the implementation of key additional safety measures suggested after an n-accident in Japan.

Karuna urges Centre to give effect to Cauvery tribunal orders

Sun, 05 May 2013 08:21:04 +0530

With voting for Assembly Elections in Karnataka over, DMK chief M Karunanidhi urged the Centre to set up Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to give effect to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal orders.

Tamil Nadu: Petrol bomb hurled at AIADMK MLA's office

Sun, 05 May 2013 05:00:57 +0530

A petrol bomb on Sunday was hurled at the office of AIADMK MLA SS Ramanidharan by unidentified attackers, police said on Sunday. Nobody was injured, they said, adding, some furniture and air-conditioner in the building were damaged in the incident.

Kanimozhi had no role in Rs 200 crore transaction: 2G case witness

Sat, 04 May 2013 09:17:59 +0530

PMK leaders should mind their language: Karunanidhi

Sat, 04 May 2013 05:40:10 +0530

DMK president M Karunanidhi on Friday told PMK leaders -- especially the jailed S Ramadoss -- to mind their language and requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to release him on humanitarian grounds. Asked about the arrests of S Ramadoss and his son and former union minister Anbumani Ramadoss, the DMK leader said: "I am worried over the filing of cases and jailing PMK leaders for their hate speech at a function. S Ramadoss and his associates had started a campaign against Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu."

TN: College lab assistant throws acid on staff, girls

Sat, 04 May 2013 03:46:47 +0530

A lab assistant in a local private college today allegedly threw acid on two staff injuring them and two girl students, and later tried to commit suicide by consuming cyanide, police said. Police said Muthusamy (47) threw acid on Ravisankar and Laxmansamy this afternoon over some personal dispute.

Kanimozhi had no role in Rs 200 cr transaction: 2G witness

Fri, 03 May 2013 08:36:33 +0530

A prosecution witness on Friday told a Delhi court that DMK MP Kanimozhi, who is facing trial in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, had "no role at all" in the Rs 200 crore transactions between Kalaignar TV (P) Ltd and Cineyug Films (P) Limited. The statement assumes significance as it contradicts the CBI theory according to which Kanimozhi was taking interest in the day-to-day affairs of the TV channel in which she was having 20 per cent shares.

Bangalore blast: 2 more arrested from Tamil Nadu

Fri, 03 May 2013 04:36:09 +0530

The Tamil Nadu police made more arrests in connection with the Bangalore blast on Friday. Two people were arrested from Coimbatore.

Hate speech: Ex-union health minister Ramadoss arrested

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:13:12 +0530

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader and former union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss was arrested by Kancheepuram Police on Friday. A case of an alleged hate speech was filed against him in 2012.

TN: 2 persons held with 71 fake Indian passports

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:46:40 +0530

Two persons who were planning to send several Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to Germany using fake Indian passports were on Wednesday arrested and 71 counterfeit passports seized from them at Naripaiyur in Ramanathapuram district, police said.

Sethu project: DMK to hold public meetings

Wed, 01 May 2013 04:59:44 +0530

Slamming the Jayalalithaa government for opposing the Sethusamudram project, DMK on Wednesday announced state-wide public meetings on May 15 to press the Centre for speedily completing the project. "Not realising that this project, once implemented, would help the State to grow economically and to further prosper, the AIADMK regime by opposing it has become an anti-people government", DMK said in a statement.

74 students placed from first batch of IIM-Tiruchirappalli

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:03:41 +0530

A total of 74 students from the first batch (2011-13) of IIM Tiruchirappalli (IIM-T) have been placed with companies such as Cognizant, KPMG and BPCL, among others, at annual salaries ranging from Rs 11.5-18.25 lakh, the premier management institute has said.

Tell centre to scrap Sethu Samudram, TN urges SC

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:49:42 +0530

The Tamil Nadu government has urged the Supreme Court to direct the central government not to proceed with the implementation of the Sethu Samudram Shipping Channel Project in the Palk Strait. The channel will facilitate navigation between India's east and west coasts.

TN: Law and order situation deteriorating, says Stalin

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:59:58 +0530

Describing the AIADMK rule as "anti-people", DMK leader MK Stalin on Sunday alleged that law and order situation in Tamil Nadu was deteriorating with increase in murder and other crimes, particularly in the last few months. Contesting the statistics given in the State Assembly, Stalin read out statistics from the State Crime Bureau and claimed that the murder, theft, rape and other crimes were on the rise in the past few months in Tamil Nadu.

TN: Girl pulled out from borewell after 14 hours, declared dead

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 08:54:44 +0530

A seven-year old girl, who fell into a newly dug deep borewell in a farm land in the district, was on Saturday night pulled out after over 14-hour long intense rescue efforts but doctors declared her dead at a hospital.

Jayalalithaa asks PM not to operationalise DBT scheme

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:31:19 +0530

Raising strong objections to certain aspects of Centre's Direct Benefits Transfer, Tamil Nadu chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday said the scheme in its present form should "not be operationalised" in the state as it is an "infringement" on the authority of state governments. In a strongly worded letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jayalalithaa wondered if the state governments were expected to look on as mere "bystanders", far removed from the process of administering the scheme, after having placed their entire field machinery at the disposal of the Centre.

TN: 7-year old pulled out from borewell after 14 hours

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:14:01 +0530

A seven-year old girl who fell into a deep borewell in a farm land in the district, was on Saturday night pulled out, ending the about 14-hour long intense rescue efforts, police said. Muthulakshmi, who fell into the improperly closed 900-feet borewell at Suryapalli village, about 50 km from Karur, around 7 am, remained stuck within a depth of about 18 feet and was pulled out by rescuers around 11 pm in an unconscious state, they said.

TN: 7-year old girl falls into borewell; rescue efforts on

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:26:30 +0530

A seven-year-old girl on Saturday fell into a deep borewell at a village in neighbouring Karur district, about 120 km from Tiruchirappalli, and intense efforts to rescue her continued, police said. Muthulakshmi, whose parents are farm labourers from Dindigul district, was playing in the farm land at Suryapalli when she fell into the 900-feet deep borewell, which had been crudely closed after it failed to yield water, they said.

Fire at Axis Bank in Avinashi near Coimbatore, 4 dead

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:52:51 +0530

A fire at Axis Bank in Avinashi near Coimbatore has left four people dead. All four dead were women employees of the bank.

Jayalalithaa announces welfare measures for police

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:58:18 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday made a series of announcements to strengthen the state police. The announcements include annual recruitment of personnel for police and fire services departments, construction for their housing, creation of youth brigade, extension of closed user group telephony facility to family members, residential school for children and others measures.

SC moved to seek halt to Kudankulam plant's commissioning

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:29:57 +0530

The Supreme Court was moved on Tuesday, seeking a direction to the government not to take steps for commissioning the Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu till allegations of use of sub-standard equipment and the impact on the reactor and the public safety were probed.

'Sub-standard equipment used in Kudankulam plant'

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:45:09 +0530

An anti-nuclear activist on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the Centre from commissioning the Kudankulam nuclear plant alleging that sub-standard equipment have been used in the plant making it unsafe.

DMK seeks removal of Chacko as chairman of JPC committee

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:50:31 +0530

The DMK on Monday sought the removal of PC Chacko as chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the 2G spectrum allocation, alleging that he had leaked the panel's draft report to the media.

Central government's bulk diesel pricing applicable in TN

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:09:46 +0530

The Madras High Court on Monday set aside a single Judge's recent order restraining oil marketing companies from charging higher price for diesel sold to state transport corporations in Tamil Nadu.

Commission Kudankulam plant after probe: Achuthanandan

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:38:50 +0530

Contending serious defects are now surfacing at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP), CPI-M leader VS Achuthanandan on Sunday demanded theta it should be commissioned only after a probe to find out lapses in safety measures.

Media baron Padma Shri Sivanthi Adithan cremated

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:04:31 +0530

Media baron and sports administrator B Sivanthi Adithan, who passed away after a brief illness, was on Saturday cremated in Chennai with scores of leaders and artistes paying their homage.

TN: High Court orders issue of notice to Karunanidhi

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 04:15:58 +0530

The Madras High Court on Friday ordered issue of a notice to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on a petition seeking a direction to police to probe a complaint against him for allegedly making certain "malicious" remarks at a public meeting here over a decade ago. When the matter came up before Justice N Kirubakaran, the Public Prosecutor took notice on behalf of Chennai Police.

B'lore blast: Registered owner of bike used for attack traced

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:32:24 +0530

In a swift action, the city police has traced the registered owner of the motorbike which was used for bomb blast in Bangalore, in which 16 people were injured.

Chennai: Man arrested for carrying venomous snakes in flight

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:20:50 +0530

Customs officials arrested a man at the airport here with a suitcase containing five venomous snakes on Wednesday. Airport sources said the arrested Mohammed Azarudin, who arrived by a Thai Airways flight, told the Customs officials that one of his friends in Thaliand gave the suitcase to him with a request to handover it to a person in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu: Woman worker suspended for demanding bribe

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:05:29 +0530

A woman sanitary worker at the government hospital here has been suspended for allegedly demanding money from a pregnant woman to get herself treated. The 24-year-old pregnant woman labourer from Andhra Pradesh was unable to pay Rs 1000 bribe was reportedly assaulted by her and later delivered the baby at a bus stand in Salem.

Hearing of Rajiv case convict's RTI plea put off

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:04:14 +0530

The video conferencing session of Perarivalan, a death row convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, with the Chief Information Commissioner planned on Monday over his RTI query has been postponed, a top police official said.

Veteran playback singer PB Srinivas passes away

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 10:23:52 +0530

Veteran playback singer PB Srinivas passed away earlier on Sunday. 82-year-old Srinivas had lent his voice in all four South Indian languages besides Hindi.

TN: Unable to pay bribe, woman delivers baby at bus-stand

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:30:01 +0530

A pregnant woman was allegedly asked to pay a bribe for treatment at a government hospital in Salem on Sunday, and unable to pay it, she was forced to deliver the baby at a bus-stand. The 24-year-old woman, a labourer hailing from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, had come to the hospital with her husband and two children, aged five and two years, after she experienced labour pains, but some nursing staff allegedly demanded Rs 1000 for her delivery, Dr Vallinayagam, Hospital Dean said.

Tamil Nadu: Mother gets two life terms for killing children

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:18:56 +0530

A local court in Namakkal has awarded two life terms to a 26-year-old woman for killing her children before attempting suicide following a dispute with her husband in 2011. According to prosecution the woman was married to Sivashankar of Senthamangalam and the couple had two sons.

Panel to study status of Sterlite Industries' plant

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 05:38:42 +0530

The National Green Tribunal on Friday said a four-member committee would be set up to study the current status of the controversial copper smelting plant of Sterlite Industries at Tuticorin. The committee, comprising two members from the Tribunal and one each from Sterlite Industries and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), would submit its report on April 29 on the functioning of the plant, said the bench of Justice Chockalingam and Professor R Nagendran.

Four Tamil fishermen attacked by Sri Lankan navy

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:17:10 +0530

Four fishermen from the district were allegedly attacked by Sri Lankan Navy personnel with wooden logs while they were fishing off Kodiakarai coast in a mechanised boat, official sources said here on Thursday. The fishermen, who went for fishing on Wednesday, returned on Thursday morning and have been admitted to a government hospital with injuries, they said.

TN: Rape accused arrested under stringent Goondas Act

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:49:18 +0530

For the first time in Tamil Nadu, the stringent Goondas Act was on Tuesday slapped on a man arrested on the charge of sexually assaulting a three-year old girl. Shahis, running a textile shop, was arrested along with a juvenile on a complaint from the mother of the girl that they had sexually assaulted the child on January 16 last, a police release said.

TN: Muzaffarpur-Yesvantpur train gets derailed, 1 dead

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:52:25 +0530

One person has dies and over 20 people have been injured as 11 coaches of the Muzaffarpur-Yesvantpur Express train got derailed on Wednesday morning at Sitheri near Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu. The accident happened at 5:50 am on Wednesday morning.

Chidambaram's police escort vehicle hits auto, four injured

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:47:54 +0530

Four women were injured on Tuesday when the police escort vehicle of Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram hit an autorickshaw in which they were travelling near Koilpalayam, 25 km from Coimbatore, police said. Chidambaram was proceeding to Coimbatore airport after attending a function at Udumalpet in Tirupur District, when the incident occurred, police said.

DMDK won't lead debates for current TN Assembly session

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 05:44:03 +0530

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal said on Tuesday the principal Opposition DMDK would not be permitted to initiate debate on any issue till the ongoing assembly session ends as they have been "frequently disturbing" the House proceedings by raking up "frivolous" issues.

Supreme Court to hear Mullaperiyar dam row today

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:25:11 +0530

The Supreme Court will begin hearing final arguments in the contentious Mullaperiyar dam row between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. There has been tension between the two states over the safety of the dam which is 120 years old.

Lanka reacts strongly to Tamil Nadu assembly resolution

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:30:05 +0530

Sri Lanka on Monday reacted strongly to the recent Tamil Nadu assembly resolution against it, saying it was "disturbing" and asked the critics to visit the country to see the progress on the ground instead of going by "exaggerated" allegations of human rights abuses. The Tamil Nadu Assembly had on March 27, 2013, unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to stop treating Sri Lanka as a friendly nation and to slap sanctions on it while demanding a referendum for a separate Tamil Eelam.

Tamil Nadu: Jilted lover hacks woman to death

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:55:39 +0530

In a shocking incident, a 23-year-old man on Monday hacked a woman to death when she refused to marry him, at a bus-stand in Dharmapuri, police said. The two had an affair while studying at college but the woman's parents had objected to the relationship and asked her to stop seeing the accused, they said.

TN to move SC against Karnataka on Pennaiyar river dispute

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:47:41 +0530

Tamil Nadu government on Monday said it will move the Supreme Court against neighbouring Karnataka over the river Pennaiyar dispute. PWD Minister KV Ramalingam told Tamil Nadu Assembly that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had issued directions in this regard, after opposition DMK and Left parties moved a Special Call Attention on the situation arising out of Karnataka taking up some work regarding check dam on the river.

Accidental explosion kills Lankan mine worker in Jaffna

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:05:09 +0530

A local employee of an international de-mining outfit was killed in an accidental explosion in the north Sri Lankan town of Jaffna, police said on Monday. The victim, a resident of the district of Kilinochchi working for the UK-based HALO Trust, was clearing mines in Muhamalai in Jaffna when the explosion took place.

TN: Stalin, 3 others suspended for 2 days from Assembly

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 01:53:50 +0530

Opposition DMK MLAs, including MK Stalin, the leader of the its Legislature Wing, were on Monday suspended for two days from the Tamil Nadu Assembly for unruly behaviour in the House. Stalin and party MLAs Govi Chezhiyan, Thangam Thennarasu and Moideen Khan had to be physically removed by Marshals after they squatted in front of the Chair of Speaker P Dhanapal.

Bengal CRPF camp attack suspect arrested in Tamil Nadu

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:00:47 +0530

In a joint operation, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Police arrested suspected Maoist Shyam Charan Tudu, wanted in the 2010 attack on a CRPF camp in West Bengal's Midnapore, from Coimbatore, police said on Sunday.

Jaya seeks PM intervention for release of fishermen

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 01:20:04 +0530

Deprecating repeated "onslaughts" by Sri Lankan Navy on Tamil Nadu fishermen, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure the release of arrested fishermen. "I am deeply anguished to bring to your notice the repeated onslaughts of the Sri Lankan Navy on innocent Tamil Nadu fishermen who eke out their livelihood by fishing in their traditional fishing grounds in the Indian Ocean," Jayalalithaa said in a letter to Singh.

Chidambaram slams BJP on Sri Lankan Tamils issue

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:27:36 +0530

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday night slammed BJP for not supporting the UPA government's efforts to pass a resolution in Parliament on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and rejected accusations hurled at Congress that it did not "support" the cause. Addressing a public meeting in Chennai, Chidambaram explained the initiatives the Congress took for passing a resolution in Parliament.

Jaya urges SC to allow use of Tamil as official language in HC

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 05:07:15 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday urged the Centre and Supreme Court to reconsider their stand against authorising Tamil as official language in Madras High Court and said administration of justice needs to be taken closer to the people. A recent communication from the Centre had indicated that the long standing request of the state was considered by Supreme Court, but after due deliberations, it reiterated its earlier resolutions "not" to approve the proposal, she said.

TN: Strike to be held against Sterlite plant in Tuticorin

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 01:25:52 +0530

A day-long general strike demanding permanent closure of the copper smelter plant of Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd will be held on Monday at Tuticorin, said MDMK party general secretary Vaiko on Saturday. The company is part of Britain-based Vedanta Resources Group.

HC dismisses petition challenging AIADMK MLA election

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 12:25:13 +0530

Madras High Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging the election of AIADMK candidate from the Kallakurichi (Reserved) constituency in Villupuram district in the 2011 Assembly elections. Justice K Venkataraman dismissed the petition filed by S Chinnadurai, an electorate of the constituency praying for setting aside the election of Alaguvelu on the grounds that she did not belong to Scheduled Caste community.

No move to block trade with south India: Sri Lanka

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 03:54:41 +0530

Sri Lanka has rejected moves to block trade with Tamil Nadu and has insisted that economic relations should not be disrupted despite political tensions, an official said on Thursday.

Sebi allows Coimbatore Stock Exchange to exit from business

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:40:51 +0530

Capital market regulator Sebi has allowed Coimbatore Stock Exchange (CSX) to exit equity trading business. Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said that CSX has substantially complied with the conditions for its exit as per the regulator's framework and therefore "is a fit case to allow exit".

Kudankulam to begin power production in April

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:50:24 +0530

Power production by the first unit of the Kudankulam atomic plant will start in April 2013, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy said on Wednesday.

Tamil newspaper says staff attacked in Sri Lanka

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 05:51:47 +0530

A group of unidentified men attacked the office of a Tamil newspaper in Sri Lanka's former war zone on Wednesday, injuring several staffers and damaging equipment at the publication known for its government criticism.

Sri Lankan trade unions threaten to block goods from TN

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 05:22:59 +0530

Trade unions manning Sri Lanka's main port have threatened to block about $2 billion worth of imports and exports to the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, media reports said in Colombo on Wednesday.

SFI activist death: Protests break out in Chennai, Delhi

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 05:05:03 +0530

Protesters took to the streets in New Delhi and Chennai after a Students Federation of India activist Sudipto Gupta was killed in Kolkata allegedly by the police during a crackdown in the city on Wednesday. The police tried to stop the demonstrators as they chanted slogans and marched with Gupta's posters.

Field Marshal Manekshaw's statues to be installed in Delhi, Wellington

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:08:43 +0530

Life size statues of Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw would be installed in Delhi and Wellington near Udhagamandalam as part of the 100th birthday celebrations of the former chief of the Indian Army, a top army official said on Wednesday.

Welcome resolution passed by TN Assembly on SL: Actor Sarathkumar

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:22:08 +0530

Members of the Tamil film industry are on a one-day token fast in protest against the alleged human rights violations by the Sri Lankan government and Army.

MDMK to challenge Supreme Court order against Sterlite

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:49:46 +0530

The MDMK on Tuesday said it would challenge the Supreme Court's order asking Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of UK-based Vedanta Group to pay Rs 100 crore as compensation for polluting the environment and vowed to continue its fight against restarting of operations.

Jaya produces proof on Gandhi's intent to dissolve Cong

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:23:15 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday presented documentary evidence to Congress members in the state Assembly to validate her minister's argument that Mahatma Gandhi wanted to dissolve the century-old political party after Independence. Responding to a demand by some Congress members, who had sought proof that Mahatma Gandhi had advocated dissolving of Congress after Independence, Jayalalithaa stunned them by reading out excerpts from 'The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi - Volume 90.'

Jaya DA case: Defence witnesses cross examined

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:45:20 +0530

The Special Court, trying the disproportionate asset case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, was adjourned till Wednesday for further recording of defence witnesses' evidence and their cross examination.

SC slaps Rs 100 crore fine on Sterlite Industries

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:12:08 +0530

The Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore on Sterlite Industries, part of Vedanta Resources, for polluting environment through its copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu. However, the apex court refused to direct closure of the plant in Tuticorin.

SL war crimes: Rajinikanth joins Tamil film industry's protest

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:04:20 +0530

Members of the Tamil Film industry are on a one-day token fast in Chennai, protesting against the Sri Lankan government and the Army's atrocities on the Tamils there. Superstar Rajinikanth also showed up in solidarity, along with other stars from the Tamil film industry.

Medical negligence: Top Chennai neurosurgeon offers help for Shailaja

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:56:02 +0530

After CNN-IBN highlighted the plight of 38-year-old Shailaja incapacitated after a surgery in Bangalore's Mallige Medical Centre, help is pouring in for the family. A neurosurgeon from Chennai has come forward and offered treatment that might help Shailaja regain partial movement.

Sterlite Industries' copper smelter shut on govt order

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:15:32 +0530

Sterlite Industries (India) said on Monday that a copper smelter run by the company in Tamil Nadu has been closed after a preliminary inspection by state pollution regulator.

Centre's stand on TN fishermen issue 'discriminatory': Karunanidhi

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 08:14:07 +0530

DMK, which quit the UPA over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, on Sunday, slammed the Centre for adopting a 'discriminatory' approach in protecting fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who have been suffering at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy.

Vedanta group's copper plant ordered to be shut down

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 05:19:07 +0530

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) on Friday ordered closure of the Tuticorin copper smelting plant of Sterlite Industries, part of Vedanta Resources group, with immediate effect, and power supply to the plant has been cut off, a company official said.

FM reviews implementation of central-sponsored schemes

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 07:00:52 +0530

Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday reviewed implementation of centrally-sponsored schemes at a meeting which was boycotted by panchayat union presidents and MLAs belonging to Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK.

TN: Vedanta plant ordered to stop operations

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 02:39:09 +0530

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) Friday ordered closure of the Tuticorin copper smelting plant of Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of Vedanta group, with immediate effect, and power supply to the plant has been cut off, a company official said. "The TNPCB issued the order to shut down the plant with immediate effect and the power utility yesterday (Friday) night disconnected the power supply to the plant. We are in the process of stopping operations, an official said over phone from Tuticorin.

Charges against Cong on SL issue ill-founded: Narayanasamy

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:58:29 +0530

Terming as "ill-founded" and "motivated", charges against the Congress and the UPA Government on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Union Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday alleged students were being instigated by some persons to stage agitations on the issue. India was one of the 25 countries that voted in favour of US-sponsored resolution at UNHRC against Sri Lanka where New Delhi pushed for an independent and credible probe into human rights violation charges and loss of civilian lives in the war in Lanka as demanded by political parties in Tamil Nadu, he told reporters at the airport in Chennai.

DMK won't support UPA government in any form: Karunanidhi

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:16:03 +0530

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated that his party would not give support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in any form. He said his party pulled out of the UPA alliance because its demand on Sri Lanka Tamils issue was not met. "We came out of the cabinet as nothing was being done for Tamils in Sri Lanka," said Karunanidhi.

Khurshid rejects TN resolution against Sri Lanka

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:08:51 +0530

Days after the DMK pulled out of the Centre and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa barred Sri Lankan cricketers from playing in Chennai, the Centre has taken a tough stand on politics over Sri Lankan Tamils. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has rejected the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution against Colombo.

Protests continue in TN against SL players in IPL

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:55:56 +0530

Protests in Tamil Nadu against the participation of Sri Lankan players in the Indian Premier League have drawn sharp reactions. Former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga has said that politics is ruining ties between India and Sri Lanka. He said Sri Lankan players should stay away if they're not welcome and that they have all the right to boycott the Indian Premier League.

Jaya calls for referendum on Eelam, accuses Karuna of 'duplicity'

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:11:38 +0530

With emotions running high in Tamil Nadu over the Sri Lanka issue, the state Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution asking the Centre to stop treating Sri Lanka as a friendly country. It also calls for a referendum on a separate Eelam among Tamils in Sri Lanka and Lankan Tamils abroad.

TN adopts resolution against SL, Jaya accuses Karuna of 'duplicity'

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:10:39 +0530

Jayalalithaa pointed out that an IPL team owned by Karunanidhi's grand-nephew has 2 Sri Lankan players, including the captain.

Special Court orders release of Lankan fishermen

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 06:48:50 +0530

A special court in Ramanathapuram on Wednesday ordered the release of five Sri Lankan fishermen who were arrested off Tuticorin coast by the Indian Coastguard on March 17, 2013. A consultative committee meeting of the Tuticorin District collector, Superintendent of Police, Indian Coastguard officials and Intelligence officials, came to the conclusion that the fishermen from Kalpatti fishing harbour had drifted into the Indian coast by accident due to sea current and wind, officials said.

Jaya cant protect Lankans, says TKS Elangovan

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 05:45:42 +0530

DMK Leader TKS Elangovan said, "this govt cannot give proper protection, Jaya says they should not play. She wants to involve DMK in everything. It shows she's not interested in Tamils of the island."

Tamil Nadu adopts resolution against Sri Lanka

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 01:31:06 +0530

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has adopted a resolution asking the Centre to stop treating Sri Lanka as a friendly country. The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

Kudankulam I will be operational in April: Manmohan Singh

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:41:31 +0530

The controversial Kudankulam Unit I of the atomic power reactor in Tamil Nadu will become operational by April, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said. He gave this assurance to Russian President Vladimir Putin when the two met here on Tuesday night on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

TN: 1 yr suspension of 6 oppn DMDK MLAs reduced

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:13:14 +0530

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has reduced the suspension to six months of six DMDK MLAs who assaulted a dissident leader inside the House. They had earlier been suspended for a period of one year.

TN: Is competitive politics setting a dangerous precedent?

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:50:35 +0530

Even as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa barred Sri Lankan players from taking part in the Indian Premier League matches in the state, questions of whether her decision was made due to the competitive politics in Tamil Nadu were abound. "You say Tamils are suffering, I can tell you the Sinhalese come from Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar. So tomorrow if they decide that any Tamil who comes there will get beaten up, or will not be allowed to enter, I think there will be chaos," Janata Party supremo Subramanian Swamy said.

Jaya bars SL players from Chennai matches, IPL bosses bow to pressure

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:50:00 +0530

With the political temperature mounting, the latest salvo from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa left no room for negotiations. Hher message was clear, making making no effort at subtlety, the AIADMK supremo said, "In view of the popular antipathy and anger in Tamil Nadu against the actions of the Government of Sri Lanka, the Government of Tamil Nadu is of the view that IPL matches involving Sri Lankan players, umpires and other officials should not be played in Tamil Nadu."

Sri Lankan players will not play in Chennai venue: Rajiv Shukla

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 07:25:30 +0530

Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa wrote to the Prime Minister demanding that no Sri Lankan player should play the IPL matches in her state.

Jaya has her way, SL players won't play in Chennai

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 05:53:36 +0530

The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Tuesday decided against fielding Sri Lankan players in Chennai following security concerns after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa barred them from the State. However, sources said that the Sri Lankan players will be allowed to play in other states.

Jayalalithaa says no IPL match with SL players in TN

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:55:52 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying no Sri Lankan player should play the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in her state. Earlier in February, Jayalalithaa had cancelled the Asian Athletics meet saying Sri Lankan players would not be allowed in Tamil Nadu.

Full text: Jayalalithaa's letter to PM on SL players in IPL

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:53:20 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding that the Indian Premier League matches with Sri Lankan players should not be played in Chennai. She has written that no Sri Lankan player, umpire or other officials should take part in matches in Tamil Nadu, in view of the anti-Lanka sentiment there.

Summon SL envoy over attack on Indian fishermen: Jaya

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:10:32 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has demanded that india should summon the Sri Lankan envoy over Sri Lankan Navy attacks on Tamil fishermen. She has urged for withdrawal of 1974 agreement with Sri Lanka. She has revived the demand for retrieval of Katchatheevu, an island on the Palk Strait ceded by India in 1974.

Centre appeals against HC stay on higher diesel price

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 03:12:57 +0530

The Centre on Monday filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking to set aside a single Judge's recent order restraining oil marketing companies from charging higher price for diesel sold to state transport corporations in Tamil Nadu. The petition filed by the Petroleum Ministry contended the single Judge ought not to have entertained the petition by the Chairman of state transport undertakings challenging the Centre's decision which had a country-wide ramification and should have dismissed it in limine.

Illegal car imports: DRI officer shielded Alagiri, Stalin

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:12:24 +0530

It is not just DMK chief M Karunanidhi's younger son and his heir apparent MK Stalin and his son Udayanidhi, but even the DMK chief's elder son and former central minister MK Alagiri allegedly used illegally imported cars. Now CNN-IBN exposes how a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officer allegedly covered up the illegal car imports of Alagiri , Stalin and his son and how luxury import cars used by DMK's first family in Chennai could not be 'traced'.

Jaya demands boycott of Commonwealth meeting at Colombo

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:11:22 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not only to ask for shifting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from Colombo this November but also boycott the meet and the leaders' retreat.

I was unwell, not necessary for all to attend DMK meet: MK Alagiri

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 05:14:07 +0530

Dismissing speculations that he deliberately skipped the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) executive meeting on Monday, party chief M Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri said he was unwell and therefore couldn't be a part of the gathering. "I wasn't feeling well and so I couldn't attend. It is not necessary for all leaders to attend all the meetings," he said.

There is no rift within DMK, says party leader Tiruchi Siva

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 03:10:24 +0530

DMK chief Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri skipped the party's executive meeting and left for Madurai on Monday. While sources say Alagiri is upset with younger brother MK Stalin, Karunanidhi's political heir, for reportedly pushing their father to withdraw support to the UPA, party leader Tiruchi Siva played it down saying he skipped the meeting because he may be unwell.

TN: Six DMDK MLAs suspended for one year

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 01:30:09 +0530

Six Opposition DMDK MLAs were on Monday suspended from the Tamil Nadu Assembly for one year in connection with the assault on a dissident DMDK legislator inside the House in February.

DMK decides not to give outside support to UPA

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:37:08 +0530

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) executive met on Monday to decide its next course of action, nearly a week after leaving the UPA government over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. The party has decided not to extend even outside support to UPA.

TN: Polytechnic student arrested for raping minor

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:30:24 +0530

A 19-year-old polytechnic student has been arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl at Periya Agraharam area in the city. Police said the sixth standard girl, staying with her grandmother, had gone to her relative's house on Sunday to attend a festival.

Signs of split within DMK as Alagiri skips party meet

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:00:29 +0530

All does not seem to be well within the DMK as party chief Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri has skipped the executive meeting and has left for Madurai. Alagiri is reportedly upset with younger brother MK Stalin, Karunanidhi's political heir, for reportedly pushing their father to withdraw support to the UPA.

A week after quitting UPA, DMK to meet to decide next step

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:22:59 +0530

Nearly a week after leaving the UPA government over the Lankan crisis, the DMK top brass will meet on Monday in Chennai to decide their next course of action. The DMK executive body is expected to plan their strategy for the next Lok Sabha elections on whether to provide outside support or not.

Sri Lanka likely pull its mission out of Tamil Nadu

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:16:11 +0530

Faced with growing anti-Sri Lankan sentiments in Tamil Nadu, Colombo may shift its deputy high commission office out of Chennai, a media report said on Sunday. The new location could be Trivandrum in neighbouring Kerala, the Sunday Times said.

Vaiko seeks fresh Assembly resolution on Tamils issue

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:57:02 +0530

MDMK chief Vaiko on Saturday requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to adopt a resolution in the state Assembly on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, similar to the one adopted two years ago.

IPL teams tell BCCI to drop Chennai as venue

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 01:10:07 +0530

With less than 10 days to go before the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) begins, politics is making an impact on the cricket tournament. Sources say that IPL franchisees have told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to drop Chennai as a venue for matches, if the current political situation over Sri Lankan Tamils remains.

Car import racket worth Rs 50 crore exposed

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:58:08 +0530

The recent CBI raids on DMK leader and M Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin revealed an elaborate smuggling scam amounting to a Rs 50 crore tax evasion. The incident caused huge political ruckus in New Delhi. While no illegal car was found in the DMK leader's house, the CBI did recover several vehicles from others - notably N Srinivasan.

Chennai car imports' scam: CBI hunts for Hummer owned by Stalin's son

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 12:25:50 +0530

CBI has recovered 16 more luxury vehicles imported by a Hyderabad-based businessman in alleged violation of customs laws which have been sold to various influential persons even as the SUV registered in the name of DMK leader M K Stalin's son rpt son remained untraceable.

Chennai: BCCI chief in CBI net for tax evasion on imported cars

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:33:26 +0530

The CBI on Friday seized 11 cars belonging to BCCI chief and India Cements promoter N Srinivasan as part of its ongoing raids in Chennai, sources said. The sources added that Srinivasan had evaded paying tax on the imported cars.

Chennai car imports scam perhaps the biggest: CBI sources

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:43:59 +0530

The CBI has said that the imported cars scam unearthed in Chennai may perhaps be the biggest of its kind in India. The scam, in which, the CBI says that officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) are also involved, reportedly caused a loss of Rs 50 crore to the government exchequer.

Illegal import of cars: CBI continues raids in Chennai

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:44:30 +0530

A day after the Central Bureau of Investigation stopped raids on DMK supremo Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin for illegal car imports, the agency on Friday continued to conduct search operations across Chennai and other places in Tamil Nadu. No raids were conducted on the DMK first family.

Raids not targeted against any individual, says CBI

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:00:36 +0530

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday clarified that its raid at DMK leader MK Stalin's residence was not a targeted one, and it had searched 18 locations for violation of duties on imported cars.

CBI raid on Stalin will erode Cong strength in TN: Bhupendra Chaubey

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:07:39 +0530

How badly will the CBI raid on DMK's Stalin affect the Congress? CNN-IBN's national bureau chief Bhupendra Chaubey joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.

CBI raids may not be govt's vendetta against DMK: Karunanidhi

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:07:18 +0530

Exactly 24 hours after DMK ministers officially walked out of the UPA government, the CBI raided the premises of DMK heir apparent, MK Stalin. The stated objective was to look for a missing imported car, on which import duty hadn't been paid. The DMK, however, called it political vendetta.

Jaitley questions PM's statement on CBI raids at Stalin's residence

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 05:56:30 +0530

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley has criticised the Centre after CBI raids at DMK party leader MK Stalin's residence in Chennai were stopped earlier on Thursday. Questioning the Prime Minister, who called the timing of the raids unfortunate and said that the government didn't order them, Jaitley asked what was the need to stop the raids if the agency was merely doing its work.

Anti-Sri Lanka resolution passed, India votes against neighbour

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:14:16 +0530

The US resolution against Sri Lanka over alleged human rights violations has been passed at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. While 25 countries including India voted in favour of the resolution, 13 countries voted against it and eight countries abstained from voting.

Live: US resolution against Sri Lanka passed at UNHRC

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 03:18:24 +0530

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) debate has begun on the US resolution on Sri Lanka in Geneva. It was the first item listed for discussion at the UNHRC. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said that India will vote in favour of the resolution against Sri Lanka.

CBI raids on Stalin stopped, PM says they weren't ordered by govt

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:31:12 +0530

The UPA government, which continues to be in the line of fire after DMK's withdrawal, had to face yet another embarrassment on Thursday after the Central Bureau of Investigation raided DMK chief Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin's residence. What added to the embarrassment was that the bigwigs in the UPA disapproved of the raid, following which the raids were stopped.

Raid on Stalin may or may not be political vendetta: Karunanidhi

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:49:08 +0530

The government seems to have calmed DMK chief Karunanidhi, who gave a toned down reaction to the CBI raids at his son MK Stalin's residence on Thursday morning. Karunanidhi said the raids may or may not be political vendetta, and even indirectly went on to say that the raids may have been political vendetta by the Tamil Nadu government headed by Jayalalithaa and not the Centre.

CBI raids at Stalin's house stopped after uproar

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:39:41 +0530

Sources say Stalin has not been named in the FIR and add that the agency was just looking for a car on the complaint of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.

Jaya Govt presents tax-free budget

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:30:53 +0530

The Jayalalithaa Government in Tamil Nadu on Thursday presented a tax-free budget for 2013-14, proposing 'prudent fiscal management', amidst a gloomy national economic scenario.

I strongly disapprove of CBI raid on MK Stalin: P Chidambaram

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:03:35 +0530

Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said he disapproves of the CBI raids on DMK leader and Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin as it is bound to be misunderstood. Speaking to CNN-IBN, Chidambaram said, "I strongly disapprove of the action by the CBI. It will be misunderstood. I have spoken to the minister concerned."

Live: Government didn't order the CBI raid on Stalin, says PM

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:36:26 +0530

MK Stalin says he's being targeted as CBI raids him, DMK questions timing

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:18:02 +0530

MK chief M Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin's house is being searched by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Chennai in connection with alleged illegal import of cars worth Rs 20 crore. Calling it political vendetta, Stalin said, "I am being targeted. It is quiet clear, why I am being targeted. We will face the case legally. I am unaware of the reasons for the CBI raid."

CBI raids Stalin's residence, DMK calls it 'political vendetta'

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:11:29 +0530

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting raids at the residence of DMK leader MK Stalin in connection with a case involving illegal import of foreign cars worth Rs 20 crore. The raids come two days after the DMK pulled out of UPA government.

UNHRC to vote on Sri Lanka resolution today

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:55:16 +0530

The UPA-II regime continues to be on life support as it is now completely dependent on outside support after the DMK pulled out and the all-party meet on Wednesday failed to reach a consensus. While the UPA-II's fate hangs in balance, all eyes are on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) vote on Sri Lankan war crimes, that will take place in Geneva on Thursday at 2:30 pm (IST).

SL asks its citizens to refrain from visiting TN

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:52:15 +0530

Sri Lankan government has advised its citizens to refrain from visiting Tamil Nadu when travelling to India and requested them to travel with caution. "The defence ministry informs people that when travelling to India on pilgrimage or for other purposes to avoid Tamil Nadu. This is in view of the recent incidents of violence faced by Sri Lankan nationals in Tamil Nadu," military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said.

Has India betrayed Tamils at the UN Human Rights Council?

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:44:26 +0530

It is perhaps the first time that a resolution pushed by one country, the US, against another country, Sri Lanka, has destabilised the government in a third country. Away from the political heat for the UPA government, is the anger on the streets of Tamil Nadu, against the treatment of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Is the UPA government guilty of ignoring them?

5 DMK ministers resign after party withdraws support to UPA

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:13:49 +0530

Five Union ministers of the DMK, including party patriarch M Karunanidhi's son, MK Alagiri, submitted their resignations to the PM on Wednesday. The resignations by the ministers comes a day after the DMK withdrew support from the UPA government over its alleged "unwillingness" to push for a stronger resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN.

War crimes: From the killings of Lankan Tamils to a teen's torture

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 02:08:39 +0530

Sri Lanka has been in the line of fire over alleged human rights violations against Lankan Tamils for almost four years now. Allegations of war crimes and human rights abuses have swirled and eddied around the Sri Lankan Army since the killing of LTTE supremo Prabhakaran, but the photographs of his teenage son Balachandran gave it an ugly disturbing edge.

Chennai: Students stage protest at Marina beach against Lankan war crimes

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:20:39 +0530

Agitating against continuing war crimes against Tamils in Sri Lanka, students on Wednesday staged a protest at Chennai's Marina Beach. The students are holding the protest in a peaceful manner and carried placards on the Marina beach.

DMK stays firm; SP says NDA under Vajpayee had better leadership

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:14:31 +0530

The DMK is in no mood to reconsider its decision of withdrawing support to the government. "There is no question of reconsidering when the resolution is to be passed day after tomorrow as there are just two days left now. In no ways is India helping the Tamils," DMK leader TKS Elangovan said. With the DMK out, the government is depending on Mulayam and Mayawati and significantly, the Samajwadi Party has upped the rhetoric. It has said that the NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee had better leadership than the UPA now. But the party added that it won't withdraw just yet.

Don't know why DMK changed stand, talks on SL still on: Chidambaram

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:56:19 +0530

Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the government intends to amend the resolution on Sri Lankan war crimes, but was still holding talks with other parties to come to a conclusion. "The position of the party is that we intend to amend the resolution. The opinion among other parties so far is divided. We will continue to speak to other parties to come to a consensus," Chidambaram said.

SL row: Highlights of the day

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:12:50 +0530

The DMK has ruled out any compromise saying it is ending the nine-year alliance with the Congress with a heavy heart over the UN resolution on Sri Lanka. "There is no question of reconsidering when the resolution is to be passed day after tomorrow as there are just two days left now. In no ways is India helping the Tamils," DMK leader TKS Elangovan said.

Govt working on SL resolution to placate DMK

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:58:57 +0530

The UPA government is still working on a resolution on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue in a desperate last ditch effort to get the DMK back on board. But a breakthrough looks unlikely at the moment. The UPA government is likely to move amendments to the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC. But moving the amendments is no easy task and will involve hectic lobbying.

UPA at mercy of SP, BSP after DMK withdraws support

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:58:26 +0530

The DMK, the second largest constituent of the ruling coalition, the UPA, has officially withdrawn support from it. A delegation of DMK leaders, led by TR Baalu, handed over the letter of withdrawal of support from the UPA to President Pranab Mukherjee at 10.30 pm on Tuesday. The UPA is in minority in Parliament now. The coalition government will be more than ever at the mercy of powerful but fickle regional parties for support, especially the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP).

Govt't draft resolution on Sri Lanka is a work in progress: Khurshid

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:26:37 +0530

The government is preparing its own resolution on Sri Lanka that will be vetted by the DMK. "Draft is a work in progress. We don't have a final position. We are in the process of looking at all proposals," said External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

UPA under siege: Is DMK pullout from govt mere political posturing?

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:54:08 +0530

The DMK caught the UPA on the wrong foot on Tuesday as it announced a pullout from the alliance over the Sri Lanka war crimes issue.

Govt resolution on Sri Lanka finalised: Sources

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:26:55 +0530

Government has finalised its draft resolution on Sri Lankan Tamil issue that will be brought in Parliament after one more meeting, sources said on Tuesday. The resolution will be vetted by the DMK, which pulled out of the UPA government as a protest against government not taking up its concerns in the proposed UN resolution against Sri Lanka.

DMK withdrawal heightens chances of snap elections

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:08:59 +0530

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the second biggest constituent of the ruling government, severed ties with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on Tuesday, but the move posed no immediate threat to the minority government, which said it is "stable and will continue to stay in power". The M Karunanidhi-led DMK, which, for days had been threatening to pull out from the UPA in protest against government not taking up its concerns in the proposed UN resolution against Sri Lanka, said its five ministers in the Union Ministry would also tender resignations by Wednesday.

SL row: Don't want to topple UPA govt, says DMK MP

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:37:44 +0530

The DMK on Tuesday pulled out from the UPA government over the Sri Lankan war crimes issue. It said its ministers will resign soon.

With DMK's pressure, I foresee early Lok Sabha polls: R Rajagopalan

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 06:52:36 +0530

Political analyst and 'Vaartha' bureau chief R Rajagopalan joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the UPA govt's DMK crisis.

Watch: Political reactions on DMK's pullout from UPA govt

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 05:55:56 +0530

The DMK has pulled out of the UPA alliance over the Sri Lankan war crimes issue. Its five ministers at the Centre will resign. The letter is yet to be sent to President.

Protests in Colombo over attacks on Lankan monks in TN

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:56:01 +0530

Sinhala Ravaya, a Sinhalese Buddhist pressure group, on Tuesday staged a march to the Indian High Commission here to protest the repeated attacks against Buddhist monks in Tamil Nadu. Several dozens of monks and laymen handed over a petition to the Indian mission seeking Indian government's intervention to prevent the attacks.

Jayalalithaa describes DMK's pull out as 'drama'

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:50:46 +0530

Slamming DMK President M Karunanidhi for announcing his party's withdrawal from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa described it as a "drama" and indicated it was an action which came too late in the day. His announcement that the party was withdrawing its support to the Centre over the Lankan Tamils issue was a late decision, she said while also referring to a Tamil saying.

DMK sticks to its demand on Sri Lankan resolution

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:02:17 +0530

Even though the DMK has pulled out of the Congress-led UPA over the US-sponsored war crimes resolution on Sri Lanka, the party is still adamant that its three demands on the issue be incorporated into the resolution. The M Karunanidhi-led party insists that the terms "genocide" and "war crimes" should be included in the US-backed resolution.

DMK pulls out of UPA, ministers to quit soon

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:11:45 +0530

The DMK which has 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha has withdrawn support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government over the US-sponsored resolution on alleged war crimes by the Sri Lankan forces. Announcing the decision to pull out of the UPA, DMK chief M Karunanidhi said that the five ministers in the Union Ministry would put in their papers by Wednesday and give the letter of withdrawing support to President Pranab Mukherjee by Friday.

Will continue to support the government: SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:50:16 +0530

SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said that the DMK has still not withdrawn support from the UPA as they haven't notified the President.

Will reconsider if Parliament passes resolution ahead of UN vote: Karuna

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:38:18 +0530

After DMK's decision to withdraw support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government, the UPA Government is now reduced to minority.

DMK withdrawal from the UPA a drama: Subramanian Swamy

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:49:43 +0530

Subramanian Swamy said if the DMK is serious, they should write to the President that they are withdrawing support.

DMK hints at room for negotiation, says no divorce from UPA

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:31:37 +0530

Leaving a door open for negotiations after withdrawing its support to the UPA, DMK Rajya Sabha MP Vasanthi Stanley said she is sure that the government will look into the party's demands.

SL Tamil issue forces repeated adjournments in Parliament

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:24:21 +0530

Parliament on Tuesday witnessed repeated adjournments during Question Hour as DMK and AIADMK disrupted proceedings in both the Houses on the issues of ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka

DMK pulls out of UPA; Chidambaram says govt is stable

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:16:40 +0530

Downplaying the DMK decision to pull out of the Congress-led UPA coalition in protest against the government's position on a US-backed United Nations resolution against Sri Lanka, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that the government is stable and will continue to stay in power.

DMK pulls out of UPA: Party position in the LS

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:51:51 +0530

Marines row: No country should take India for granted, says Sonia

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:07:09 +0530

Breaking her silence for the first time on the Italian marines case, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that no country should take India for granted. Sonia further said that the diplomatic immunity issue of Italian Ambassador Daniel Mancini must be taken up immediately.

Live: DMK MP says party not posturing, blames UPA for ignoring SL Tamils

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:36:54 +0530

The DMK has decided to stall Parliament to force the UPA Government to vote in favour of the US-sponsored resolution.

DMK gives notice to suspend question hour

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:11:39 +0530

Standing firm on its stand for a very strong resolution against Sri Lanka in the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the DMK has decided to stall both houses of Parliament on Tuesday to force the Congress-led UPA Government to vote in favour of the US-sponsored resolution. DMK leaders have given a notice for suspension of question hour in both houses of Parliament.

Is the DMK holding India's foreign policy hostage?

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:04:41 +0530

The DMK has demanded that the UPA government should take a very strong stand on the alleged war crimes resolution against Sri Lanka and threatened to pull out its ministers from the Union Cabinet if India did not vote in favour of the US-sponsored resolution.

DMK may pull out its ministers from UPA over Sri Lanka issue

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:00:15 +0530

DMK, however, could consider extending outside support to the government after 3 top ministers failed to satisfy Karunanidhi on the resolution.

Top ministers fail to pursuade Karuna on SL issue

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:01:49 +0530

Ahead of the vote on a resolution on alleged human rights violations by Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Council, the DMK has threatened to pull its ministers out of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Cabinet and could consider extending outside support to the government after three top ministers failed to satisfy M Karunanidhi with the wording of the resolution.

'Govt in touch with TN over assault on Buddhist monk'

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:13:37 +0530

The Centre is in touch with Tamil Nadu government over an attack on a Buddhist monk at Chennai central station and the attackers have been identified. "With reference to an incident of an attack on Venerable Udhathalawinne Wangeesa Thero, a Buddhist monk, at the Chennai Central Station earlier today, the Government of India is touch with Tamil Nadu Govt.

Sri Lanka calls for Indian protection to Lankans

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:48:20 +0530

Sri Lanka on Monday asked India to provide necessary security to Lankan people and property there following continued protests especially in Tamil Nadu. Karunathilake Amunugama, Lanka's Ministry of External Affairs' Secretary said Colombo has lodged a formal request with the Indian authorities in this connection.

DMK may offer outside support to UPA after talks over SL issue fail

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:16:49 +0530

There has been no breakthrough in talks between the Congress and the DMK over the Sri Lankan war crimes issue, sources said on Monday evening. Congress leaders P Chidambaram, AK Antony and Ghulam Nabi Azad had met M Karunanidhi at his residence in the evening to sort matters out after the latter threatened to pull out his ministers from the UPA Cabinet if his demands on the issue were not met.

Resolution against Sri Lanka 'unnecessary', says country's envoy

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:02:36 +0530

Sri Lankan envoy to India Prasada Kariyawasam called resolution against the island country unecessary, while speaking to CNN-IBN's Suhasini Haidar. He also said that those protesting against Sri Lanka in Tamil Nadu are taking the form of terrorism.

India calls off high level defence talks with SL

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:50:28 +0530

Following backlash from DMK supremo M Karunanidhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa over human rights violations against Tamils in Sri Lanka, India on Monday called off Defence Secretary-level talks with the island country, which were slated to begin on March 23. The Congress had also sent its leaders to placate Karunanidhi, who wants the words 'genocide' and 'Eelam' added to the US-sponsored resolution in UNHRC against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka war crimes: UPA in a bind after DMK threat

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 06:43:42 +0530

Shaken up by DMK chief M Karunanidhi's threat of pulling out his ministers from the UPA Cabinet if his demands on the UNHRC vote against Sri Lanka are not met, the Congress on Monday sent its leaders to placate him. Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister AK Antony and Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad met Karunanidhi at his residence in an attempt to bridge differences between the two allies.

Sri Lankan war crimes: Jayalalithaa writes to PM

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:18:19 +0530

The DMK and the AIADMK have stepped up pressure on the Centre over war crimes in Sri Lanka. After DMK chief Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, too, has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demanding that the government takes a strong and courageous stand against Sri Lanka at the UN and move amendments to the US-backed resolution. "Don't just support the US-backed resolution on Lankan Tamils issue at UNHRC, but strengthen it through suitable amendments," Jayalalithaa wrote.

SL envoy compares Tamil Nadu protests to terrorism

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:28:56 +0530

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Prasada Kariyawasam on Monday compared the protests in Tamil Nadu against war crimes in Sri Lanka to terrorism and said the country will oppose any resolution against its army. Talking to CNN-IBN, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner said, "Resolution on Sri Lanka in UN is uncalled for. We don't think there is a need for international community to get involved in Sri Lanka at this point."

SL war crimes: 3 UPA ministers to meet Karunanidhi today

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:30:14 +0530

The UPA is reaching out to DMK, which has threatened to pull out of the alliance, over India's vote at the UN Human Rights Council on the resolution on Sri Lankan war crimes. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath has said that three senior ministers will meet DMK chief Karunanidhi on Monday to sort out issues. Karunanidhi has written another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, asking the government to push for an international probe into war crimes in Sri Lanka.

SL war crimes: DMK writes to PM, Sonia again

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:19:01 +0530

UPA ally DMK is keeping up the pressure on the government, threatening to pull out of the alliance, over India's vote at the UN Human Rights Council on the resolution on Sri Lankan war crimes. DMK chief Karunanidhi has written another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, asking the government to push for an international probe into war crimes in Sri Lanka.

'India must vote for international probe in SL war crimes'

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 09:42:45 +0530

Protesters demanding India supports the United Nations vote for an international probe into war crimes against Tamils in Sri Lanka held demonstrations in Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai on Sunday. The DMK Chief Karunanidhi again threatened to pull out of the UPA government over the issue even as the Centre tried to assure him saying no decision will be taken before consulting him.

DMK should pull out of UPA on SL Tamils issue: BJP

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 07:55:46 +0530

The DMK should withdraw its support to the UPA Government, the BJP said on Sunday as it attacked the Centre for ignoring the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. "DMK is part of the Government today and was part of the UPA when the 'atrocities' were being committed against Tamils in Sri Lanka. DMK needs to withdraw support from the UPA. The UPA has no right to remain in power as it is not in favour of the Tamils," Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

'No decision on SL before consulting with DMK'

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 05:28:30 +0530

After DMK Chief Karunanidhi threatened to pull out of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government over the Sri lankan Tamils issue, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said no decision will be taken before consulting the DMK. India has asked Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of human rights violations and incidents involving loss of human life during the final stages of the conflict.

Karuna writes to PM, wants inclusion of genocide in UN resolution

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 02:19:26 +0530

Reiterating that his party would pull out of the UPA if the government did not press for inclusion of genocide and war crimes on Tamils by Sri Lankan Army and administrators, DMK chief M Karunanidhi said that there is no point in continuing the alliance if the Centre fails to move amendments to US-sponsored resolution.

Sri Lankan monk assault case: TN Police arrests 12 people

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:59:49 +0530

Tamil Nadu Police has arrested 12 people on Sunday in connection with the assault of a Sri Lankan monk in Thanjavur. The monk, who is on a study tour, was assaulted by members of outfits protesting against alleged atrocities on Lankan Tamils.

Chidambaram hints at vote against Sri Lanka at UN meet

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 09:41:13 +0530

Finance Minister P Chidambaram has hinted at a possible vote against Sri Lanka at a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) later in March. This comes barely a day after DMK chief M Karunanidhi warned of pulling out his ministers from the Cabinet over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

Sri Lanka claims victory before UN rights vote

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 07:19:55 +0530

Sri Lanka has described the adoption of its periodic review of human rights at Geneva's UNHRC sessions without a division as a victory and an acknowledgment of its rights progress.

TN: Priest arrested for allegedly molesting woman

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 11:00:40 +0530

A 63-year-old priest of a church in Coimbatore was arrested on Saturday on charges of attempting to outrage the modesty of a woman during prayers. John Mark, the priest of CSI Church, was arrested on a complaint from the 48-year-old woman, police said.

DMK urges govt to push for amendments in UN resolution on Sri Lanka

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 09:53:14 +0530

With emotions running high in Tamil Nadu over the issue of war crimes committed against Tamils in Sri Lanka, the UPA government is under tremendous pressure from its ally, the DMK. The DMK has said that unless the UPA supports the amended resolution by the US in the United Nations, it will withdraw its support from the government.

Govt will protect interest of Tamils in Sri Lanka: Narayanasamy

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 05:57:33 +0530

Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy, while commenting on human rights violations against Tamils in Sri Lanka, said "The resolution on Sri Lanka is coming up in the UN Human Rights Commission and the draft resolution has beem circulated after which, a final decision will be taken. Our government has made it clear that we will protect the interest of the Tamils in Sri Lanka".

Centre hasn't responded to our warning: Karunanidhi

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:40:52 +0530

The Sri Lanka issue has once again reached the Centre's door. DMK chief Karunanidhi said that the government has not yet responded to his threat of pulling out of the UPA government over the Lanka human rights issue. He has demanded that India must push for changes in the UN resolution on Lanka demanding an independent enquiry into alleged war crimes by the Lankan Army.

SL war crimes: TN colleges asked to remain shut after protests

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 08:40:53 +0530

Colleges in Tamil Nadu have been asked to remain closed till further orders in view of the growing student protests on alleged human rights violations against Tamils in Sri Lanka. The protests are significant as Tamil parties try to put pressure on India to vote against Lanka in the UN human rights council later this month.

SL war crimes: DMK threatens to pull out ministers from UPA cabinet

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:37:40 +0530

Mounting pressure on the Centre on its demand to punish 'war criminals' in Sri Lanka, UPA key ally the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday threatened to pull out its ministers from the Union Cabinet if its demand to bring in amendments to the US-backed resolution at UNHRC in Geneva was not conceded. "DMK will find it meaningless to continue in the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led Cabinet if our demand is not obliged to," party chief M Karunanidhi said in a statement late Friday night.

2G case: Witness testifies in favour of DMK MP Kanimozhi

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:16:35 +0530

A key witness in the 2G trial has testified in favour of DMK MP and accused Kanimozhi. P Amritam, the Chief Financial Officer of KTV told the court that Kanimozhi joined KTV at her father Karunanidhi's behest and that she was not involved in the company's day to day affairs.

Sri Lankan court orders release of 34 TN fishermen

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:01:34 +0530

A day after India lodged a strong protest against detention of its fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, a court in the island nation on Friday ordered the release of 34 fishermen, officials of a fishermen association here said.

Govt summons Lankan envoy, asks to return 53 fishermen

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 03:26:11 +0530

The External Affairs Ministry said Sri Lankan authorities arrested 19 fishermen on Wednesday and another 34 on Thursday for allegedly fishing in Sri Lanka's waters.

MEA summons SL envoy over arrests of Indian fishermen

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:51:23 +0530

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday summoned the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner over the spate of arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. According to a PTI report, the total number of fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka in the past 24 hours has gone up to 53, after 34 more were arrested on Thursday.

India talks: 'Reducing the age of consent may create problems'

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 03:53:38 +0530

Residents of Chennai say reducing age of consent may create problems. They are also demanding harsher punishments for rapists in the anti-rape Bill.

India must back US resolution on Sri Lanka: DMK

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:08:29 +0530

The DMK on Wednesday again asked the Indian government to support a US-sponsored resolution at a UN body attacking Sri Lanka's human rights record.

Tamil Nadu: Man rapes mentally ill woman

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:07:21 +0530

A mentally ill woman was reportedly raped by a person posing as a coffee seller at Madurai railway station early Wednesday, police said. The 32-year-old woman was waiting with her mother to board a train to Elanchi village after treatment in Madurai when the man approached them and offered her mother coffee laced with sedatives.

TN: Students' protest on Lankan Tamils issue continues

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:59:50 +0530

Protests by students on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue continued across Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, with law students mainly in the fray. About 40 students of Dr Ambedkar Law University and Dr Ambedkar Government Law College here continued with their fast, demanding an independent probe against Colombo for alleged war crimes besides stressing for separate Eelam (homeland for Tamils).

Polytechnic student kidnaps woman lecturer

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:27:14 +0530

A third year polytechnic student on Tuesday allegedly kidnapped a woman lecturer, with whom he had a relationship, after barging into her house at nearby Iraichalkulam and attacking her parents, police said.

Sri Lanka releases arrested Tamil Nadu fishermen

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:14:19 +0530

Sixteen fishermen, arrested by Sri Lankan Naval personnel for allegedly fishing in the island nation's international maritime boundary on March 3, have been released and will return to India on Tuesday night, the Tamil Nadu government said.

TN: Mixed response to DMK-backed TESO's strike

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 04:53:40 +0530

Hundreds of DMK workers, including its Treasurer MK Stalin, were arrested on Tuesday as part of the dawn-to-dusk general strike by the party-backed pro-Sri Lankan Tamil outfit TESO which evoked mixed response with normal life by and large remaining unaffected in Tamil Nadu.

DMK opposes scrapping of regional language from UPSC exam

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 03:08:38 +0530

Key UPA ally DMK on Tuesday joined a host of parties in opposing a UPSC notification for scrapping of regional language paper, describing it as an attempt to "impose" Hindi and that the move will affect rural aspirants.

Set up monitoring mechanism on Cauvery issue: Jaya tells PM

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:33:27 +0530

Stepping up pressure on the Cauvery water issue, Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday said it was "absolutely" essential on the part of the Centre to put in place a monitoring mechanism to ensure that the state gets its rightful share of water during the year.

TN: Strike called by DMK-backed TESO underway

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:40:20 +0530

The dawn-to-dusk general strike called by DMK-backed pro-Sri Lankan Tamil outfit TESO began on Tuesday morning with no untoward incident reported so far.

Fire in ATC hits flight operations at Chennai airport

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:20:26 +0530

Flight operations were affected after a minor fire broke out in the air traffic control room at Chennai airport in the wee hours on Tuesday. The flames were noticed by the staff at around 2.45 am, official sources said, adding five five tenders were pressed into service and the blaze was doused within 20 minutes.

Blackouts dim prospects for south India's next Bangalore

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:23:05 +0530

Crippling power cuts in Tamil Nadu are shutting factories and threatening an industrial debt crisis that is wrecking its second-largest city's plan to become India's next business Mecca. Electricity shortages are emerging as one of the biggest brakes on India's ambitions to rise up the ranks of the world's major economies, and match regional rival China as a manufacturing powerhouse.

Students fasting in support of SL Tamils hospitalised

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:40:07 +0530

Eight students of a city-based college, who were on a fast unto death on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, were removed by police and admitted to hospital. Police also detained many of those who supported them, drawing criticism.

Will take legal recourse if Cauvery award not implemented, says Jayalalithaa

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 12:41:08 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday declared she would resort to legal action if the central government does not set up the necessary mechanism to implement the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's (CWDT) final award after gazetting it.

Parliament debate on war crimes: Govt cautious on SL

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 05:08:48 +0530

The government fielded attacks from both the Opposition and its allies in Parliament on Thursday as the Lok Sabha debated India's role in finding a solution to the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka, and said it will take the "best possible" decision on UN resolution on the island country. Lok Sabha members demanded that government should take a more stern action against the atrocities committed against the Tamils.

Parliament live: Diplomacy will do what war can't do in SL, says Khurshid

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:30:23 +0530

Lok Sabha on Thursday discussed the alleged war crimes by the Sri Lankan army against Tamils during the battle to wipe out the LTTE. DMK leaders pointed out that the Sri Lankan army carried out atrocities and was involved in killing innocent people in the battle.

India irked by false Lankan media reports on Kudankulam

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 02:26:09 +0530

India on Wednesday dismissed as "totally baseless" Sri Lankan media reports on alleged radiation leaks at Kudankulam nuclear power station in Tamil Nadu.

Support US resolution against Sri Lanka: Karunanidhi

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 01:06:36 +0530

According to Karunanidhi, the Sri Lankan government's lie that the war was stopped in April 2009 itself is a war crime.

Chennai: MDMK, other groups protest against alleged atrocities on Tamils in Sri Lanka

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:56:42 +0530

MDMK and other groups protested outside the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission against alleged atrocities on Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 22 Tamil Nadu fishermen

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 06:32:16 +0530

Twenty-two Indian fishermen were on Sunday arrested and their trawlers seized by Sri Lankan naval personnel for allegedly violating the island nation's international maritime boundary. The fishermen from Karavaikulam in Tuticorin in southern Tamil Nadu were fishing in three mechanised boats and one country boat fitted with outboard motor off Kalpittiya when they were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy, fisheries officials said in Tuticorin.

Tamil Nadu: Jayalalithaa axes three ministers

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 06:36:25 +0530

In a shake-up in her cabinet, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday sacked three ministers and inducted an equal number, all of them first-time MLAs. Tourism Minister Gokula Indra, Health and Family Welfare Minister VS Vijay and School Education Minister NR Sivapathy were removed from the cabinet.

Govt committed to bringing justice to Lankan Tamils: Khurshid

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 02:48:46 +0530

While the AIADMK and the Left parties accused the government on Wednesday of not doing anything for the Tamils in Sri Lanka, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the government was committed to bringing justice to Lankan Tamils. During the debate on Sri Lankan war crimes in the Rajya Sabha, Khurshid said, "I reiterate the commitment of government to see the end of hostilities in Sri Lanka."

Fatal acid attacks: TN govt to regulate sale of acid

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 03:51:16 +0530

Against the backdrop of acid attacks that claimed the lives of two young women, Tamil Nadu Government on Tuesday said it will take steps to control and regulate sale of the chemical. "A Bill (in this regard) will be moved during the coming Budget session of the state Assembly and adopted," Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said in a statement here.

Tamil Nadu: Cable operators stir on February 28

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:46:33 +0530

Hundreds of telegrams have been sent to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa by cable TV operators here, protesting against the online system of payment of subscription. The Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable Television Corporation, a government entity, recently issued a notification extending to the subscribers the facility of online payment of monthly subscription of Rs 70.

ISRO to launch PSLV 'SARAL' today

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 10:42:45 +0530

All is set for the launch of Indo-French satellite 'SARAL', aimed at oceanographic studies, and six foreign mini and micro satellites onboard ISRO's workhorse rocket PSLV from the spaceport of Sriharikota in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C20 is slated for blast-off at 5.56 pm local time from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, 110 kms from here. President Pranab Mukherjee is expected to witness the event.

Bangalore: Woman runs over construction workers, kills one

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:50:49 +0530

The Bangalore Police are on the lookout for a woman who is absconding after allegedly driving her car onto a footpath and killing one construction worker. The woman also injured three others.

Hyderabad blasts: Police conduct search in Kanyakumari

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 05:05:53 +0530

Police along with Intelligence Bureau officials on Sunday conducted search operations in some areas of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on information that certain persons having links with the Hyderabad blasts had come to the seashore town. The tip-off was received from Hyderabad Police and Intelligence agencies and search operations were conducted in select areas, police sources said.

Willing to appear before JPC as witness in 2G case: Raja

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 03:45:42 +0530

Former Telecom Minister A Raja on Saturday wrote to Speaker Meira Kumar demanding that he be allowed to appear before the Joint Parliamentary Committee which is probing the 2G scandal. Blamed for a number of issues in the 2G scam, Raja wants to tell his side of story.

Tamil Nadu: Gang hacks Dalit student to death

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 02:23:02 +0530

A Dalit engineering student, recently booked in an eve teasing case, was on Thursday night hacked to death by a gang near Tirunelveli, police said.

Banking, postal services hit due to strike in TN

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:59:59 +0530

Banking and postal services continued to be affected while shops remained open and transport services plied normally in Tamil Nadu on the second day of the strike called by trade unions across the country.

TN won't host Asian Athletics Championships: Jaya

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:23:17 +0530

mid protests over the alleged brutal killing of slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran's son, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday called off the 20th Asian Athletics Championships scheduled to be held in Chennai in July, saying Lankan players have no place in the state.

Puducherry CM thanks Jaya on Cauvery water award

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:36:53 +0530

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Wednesday thanked his Tamil Nadu counterpart Jayalalithaa and the Centre after the notification of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal's final award.

Bharat bandh: Tamil Nadu sees partial impact of strike

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 01:59:38 +0530

The strike call given by 11 trade unions country wide had partial impact in Tamil Nadu as a majority of shops remained open and transport services plied normally. However, banking services were hit hard as most public and private sector banks remained closed.

Killing Prabhakaran's son is a war crime: Jayalalithaa

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:46:37 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday condemned the alleged killing of LTTE chief Prabhakaran's son by the Sri Lankan army and the matter should be tried in International Court as a war crime. She said the evidences presented by a documentary that has sparked global anger reveal the mindset of the current Sri Lankan government.

Cauvery water dispute: Deadline to notify tribunal today

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:37:03 +0530

The deadline for the Centre to notify the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Award ends on Wednesday. After the notification, the future sharing of water among all Cauvery basin states, which are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, will be based on the final award. Currently, water sharing is based on the interim award of the Tribunal.

UPA government a fountain of scams: Jayalalithaa

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:16:20 +0530

Describing the Congress-led UPA government at Centre a "fountain of scams", AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced that her party will stage state-wide protests on February 22 against the scams and the fuel pricing policy.

Karunanidhi calls for abolition of death penalty

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 05:35:44 +0530

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Monday called for the abolition of death penalty. The leader issued a statement saying had the long-pending demand for the abolition of death penalty been obliged, executions happening now could have been avoided.

TN: Man arrested for beating wife with air-gun

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 03:21:30 +0530

A man was on Sunday arrested for allegedly beating his wife with an air-gun, causing an injury to her ear lobe, police said.

TN: Bus conductor arrested on charges of molestation

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 11:04:24 +0530

A mini bus conductor was arrested on Sunday at Coonoor, about 17 km from Udhagamandalam, on charges of harassing a 10th standard girl for the last one week, police said.

Maternal uncle among 5 arrested for sexually abusing minor

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 05:45:03 +0530

Five persons, including the maternal uncle of a 13-year-old girl, were arrested on Saturday on charges of sexually abusing her over the last one month. The girl met the city police commissioner on Friday and lodged a complaint stating that her 55-year old maternal uncle, under whose care she was left by her parents, and four others had allegedly sexually abused her.

TN: Teacher beaten up for 'misbehaving' with children

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 03:59:23 +0530

A teacher of a school in Mandapam refugee camp in the district was beaten up by some parents on Friday for allegedly misbehaving with students.

Food Security Bill replete with confusion, says TN

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:53:08 +0530

Tamil Nadu on Wednesday said the Central Bill on Food Security was replete with "confusion and inaccuracy" and that the state should be exempted from the implementation of the proposed measure. Food Minister R Kamaraj said Tamil Nadu should be allowed to implement the existing Universal Public Distribution System (UPDS) which was "more effective, robust and time tested".

Chennai: Acid attack victim dies

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 06:13:02 +0530

Battling for life for almost three months after a gruesome acid attack that left her blind, a 23-year-old woman died at a private hospital in Chennai on Tuesday.

Budget yatra: Industry in Coimbatore hit by power crisis

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:22:29 +0530

In the run up to the Budget Session CNN-IBN's Budget yatra travels to Coimbatore, which is hailed for its industrial growth. But with India's growth numbers dipping drastically in the past few years, has Coimbatore been affected?

French Transport Minister to visit TN

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:54:08 +0530

French Minister for Transport Frederic Cuvillier will have a dialogue with French investors in Tamil Nadu in Chennai on February 15. A release from the office of French Consul General here said Cuvillier is part of the delegation of Ministers accompanying French President Francois Hollande during his two-day State visit to India from February 14.

Analysis of Vishwaroopam: From a fan's point of view

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:24:42 +0530

I must admit that it's quite a difficult task to resist from replying to people. Because the idea of a social network is to socialise with people. And when you are a film critic, everyone has a counter opinion.

Budget yatra: Tirupur, the knitwear capital of India, loses its sheen

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:54:40 +0530

CNN-IBN's Budget yatra is travelling across the country to states which are pillars of India's growth. CNN-IBN travels to Tirupur - the knitwear capital of India. From its peak in 2005 Tirupur has lost its sheen. From Rs 12,000 crore, it was expected to touch exports of over Rs 20,000 crore, but that never happened.

TN: 70-year-old man held for trying to molest minor girl

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 03:59:35 +0530

A 70-year-old watchman of a firm in Coimbatore was arrested on Sunday for allegedly trying to sexually abuse a 10-year old girl. The fourth standard student used to frequently visit the watchman's house as her parents were also working in the same firm.

TN: Man arrested for trying to sexually abuse minor girl

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 09:59:04 +0530

A 70-year-old watchman of a firm in Coimbatore was arrested on Sunday for allegedly trying to sexually abuse a 10-year old girl.

'Kudankulam could be commissioned in few days'

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:29:09 +0530

The first 1,000 MW unit of the much-delayed Kudankulam nuclear power project (KNPP) could be commissioned in the next few days and every step is being taken to ensure safety, a senior official said.

Dr Manmohan Singh wisely kept awake while Tamils were killed in Sri Lanka: R Rajagopalan

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 06:40:07 +0530

Political analyst and 'Vaartha' bureau chief R Rajagopalan joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on Rajapaksa visit protest.

Engineering student develops anti-molester device

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 05:38:31 +0530

An engineering student in Tamil Nadu has claimed to have developed an electronic device that could help girls to protect themselves from molesters by benumbing the attacker temporarily.

Jayalalithaa files defamation case against Karunanidhi

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 05:10:11 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday filed a defamation suit against Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi and his party mouthpiece Murasoli. Karunanidhi in an article - which appeared in Murasoli - had claimed that Jayalalithaa had a personal motive behind banning screening of Kamal Hassan-starrer 'Vishwaroopam'.

Tamil Nadu: DMDK members evicted from Assembly

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 01:40:55 +0530

Opposition DMDK members were on Friday evicted en masse from the Tamil Nadu Assembly after they came to blows with a rebel MLA, who had in 2012 called on Chief Minister Jayalalithaa much to the chagrin of the party leadership.

Vishwaroopam: I feel vindicated, says Kamal Haasan

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 04:43:00 +0530

Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' finally opened on Thursday in nearly 600 theatres across Tamil Nadu to full houses, as expected. The actor-filmmaker says the espionage thriller opened without any incident and he feels vindicated.

Actress Khushboo's house attacked allegedly by DMK cadres

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:36:06 +0530

Tamil actress and DMK leader Khushboo's house was on Thursday allegedly attacked by DMK cadres. While there were no injuries in the incident, there were minor damages to property.

Cauvery row: Karnataka reluctant to give water to Tamil Nadu

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:22:52 +0530

The Karnataka government is refusing to budge in the Cauvery water sharing dispute. The state government is reluctant to give water to Tamil Nadu for paddy crop despite the Supreme Court's order. The Jagadish Shettar-led Karnataka government is looking at other legal options.

Vishwaroopam: Packed 5 am shows, tickets sold out

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:41:46 +0530

Actor-director Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' has opened to great response in Tamil Nadu with people packing shows as early as 5 AM on Thursday and tickets all over the state are sold out till February 13.

SC directs K'taka to release Cauvery water to TN for paddy crop

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:28:26 +0530

The Supreme Court has provided some relief to Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery water sharing dispute. The apex court has directed Karnataka to release 2.44 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu for the paddy crop. The court also observed that this limit will not adversely affect Karnataka's drinking water requirement.

Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' gets released in Tamil Nadu

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:38:13 +0530

Tamil Nadu's date with Kamal Haasan's film 'Vishwaroopam' has finally arrived. Ending the 10-day-long wait, Kamal Haasan's Rs 95 crore film finally hit the screens on Thursday in Tamil Nadu.

TN: Married man burns girl to death for rejecting love

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 03:21:00 +0530

A 36-year old man, father of two children, allegedly burnt to death a teenaged girl after rejected his proposal to marry him and attempted self-immolation at a village near Srivilliputhur on Tuesday, police said.

Dental Council mess: Health Minister maintains a deafening silence

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:28:40 +0530

Days after CNN-IBN aired stories of rampant corruption in the Dental Council of India, another Dental Council executive committee member has resigned. Jammu and Kashmir's nominee to the Dental Council Riyaz Faruq has quit. Dr Faruq told CNN-IBN that he was stepping down as he wasn't aware of what was going on in the executive committee.

Cauvery row: Release more water to TN, SC tells K'taka

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 03:20:47 +0530

The Supreme Court has directed Karnataka to release 2 tmc feet of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court has also slammed the Centre for not notifying the order given by the Cauvery Water Tribunal five years ago.

'Vishwaroopam' to be released in TN on Feb 7

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 02:56:36 +0530

Acting swiftly after government lifted the ban on his Tamil movie "Vishwaroopam", Kamal Haasan on Monday withdrew his petition before the Madras High Court challenging the ban, a move that could see the early release of his mega-budget movie. Justice S Rajeswaran, before whom the matter came up, allowed the actor and government to withdraw pleas after they expressed their desire to do so following a compromise between Haasan and Muslim outfits, which had opposed it claiming some scenes offended their sentiments.

Vishwaroopam: Haasan withdraws case against TN govt

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:50:45 +0530

Actor Kamal Haasan has withdrawn the case against the Tamil Nadu government that challenged the ban on his movie 'Vishwaroopam'. Haasan is likely to announce the new date of his film Vishwaroopam's release in Tamil Nadu.

Haasan to announce new date for Vishwaroopam's release in TN

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:33:09 +0530

Actor Kamal Haasan is likely to announce the new date of his film Vishwaroopam's release in Tamil Nadu. On Sunday, the ban on the film was lifted after he agreed to make several cuts and edits, following a court battle and opposition from certain Muslim groups.

Vishwaroopam: Apology sought from TN Advocate General

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 06:17:44 +0530

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Sunday demanded an apology from Tamil Nadu's Advocate General for statements made by them in connection with the certification of 'Vishwaroopam'. Condemning the allegations made by Navaneetha Krishnan and advocate Sankarasubbu, the CBFC said in a statement, "Every action taken/procedure followed by CBFC for certifying 'Vishwaroopam' or any other film has been done in accordance with the Act and Rules framed by Parliament ... The CBFC calls upon the Advocate General and Advocate Shri Sankarasubu to issue an apology for the statements made by them."

Ban by Dist Collectors on Vishwaroopam removed

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:50:07 +0530

A day after actor-director Kamal Haasan arrived at an agreement with Muslim groups opposing his Tamil film "Vishwaroopam", the ban imposed by District Collectors was removed, paving the way for screening of the movie across the state. The prohibitory orders issued earlier by District Collectors has been removed, government sources said but did not elaborate.

Vishwaroopam set to be released in TN

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 07:40:01 +0530

After days of courting controversy and debate, actor and director Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' is set to release in Tamil Nadu. More than a week after the thriller was banned from theatres across the state, Haasan agreed to make several cuts in the movie on Saturday before it hits the screens.

Vishwaroopam: Haasan to delete 7 scenes after deal

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:13:29 +0530

Actor and director Kamal Haasan on Saturday reached an agreement with Muslim groups protesting against his film 'Vishwaroopam' and announced that he had agreed to cut seven scenes from the film and mute certain other scenes that were deemed as offensive. The Muslim groups agreed to withdraw protests after the deal.

Subsidies alone won't help development: Chidambaram

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 06:50:57 +0530

Freebies and subsidies alone would not help in economic development and youth should seek self-employment, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on February 2.

'Vishwaroopam' ban: Haasan meets Muslim groups

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:22:23 +0530

Actor and director Kamal Haasan on Saturday met representatives of the Muslim groups that have been protesting against his latest film 'Vishwaroopam' in Chennai. The meeting is being mediated by Tamil Nadu Home Secretary and aims to reach a compromise over the film's release.

'Vishwaroopam ban': Kamal Haasan to meet Muslim groups in TN

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:54:09 +0530

Kamal Haasan plans to meet the Muslim groups opposing the release of his film 'Vishwaroopam' in Tamil Nadu to strike a compromise. The film has been banned following fears of law and order situation.

'Vishwaroop' has no controversial content, say viewers in Delhi, Mumbai

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:39:25 +0530

Kamal Haasan's fans came out smiling after watching the first show of 'Vishwaroop' on Friday, each one insisting that there was nothing controversial in the film. "Not anti-Muslim or anti-India in any manner, the movie is so good and so super," said a young movie-goer. Another said, "Kamal Haasan's performance is superb, fantastic and natural. The movie is going to win national awards. It is going to rock the Indian cinema." PVR cinema sources told CNN-IBN that they expected 70 per cent bookings over the weekend.

'Filmmakers should avoid hurting public sentiments'

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:41:52 +0530

Amid a raging controversy over Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam', Tamil Nadu Government on February 1 said filmmakers should show "due respect" for sensitivities of people while making films like 'Dam 999' and warned it will "not spare anybody who tries to whip-up communal passions." In his address to the Tamil Nadu Assembly in its first session for the year, Governor K Rosaiah said timely interventions by the government to ban release of sensitive films like 'DAM 999' had avoided law and order problems.

TN Home Secy meets Haasan's brother, protesting groups

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:06:17 +0530

The Tamil Nadu Home Secretary on Friday met Chandra Haasan, brother of actor and director Kamal Haasan, and representatives of the protesting Muslim groups to hammer out a solution to the ongoing furore over Haasan's new film 'Vishwaroopam'. The meeting was held at the secretariat. The discussions are underway presently. Earlier, Kamal Haasan had said that he will hold talks with the protesting groups.

Vishwaroopam: Haasan may hold talks with Muslim groups

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:35:25 +0530

Tamil actor and director Kamal Haasan is likely to hold talks with Muslim groups on Friday over Vishwaroopam's release. On Thursday, in an interview to CNN-IBN, Haasan implored the protesting groups to "see reason" and said he will not stop pursuing negotiations with them over his film. The actor and director also claimed he does not "rule out politics" in the controversy that has surrounded his Rs 95 crore budget film.

Film critics say Vishwaroopam is not anti-Muslim

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:26:13 +0530

Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' hits theatres in Hindi on Friday as Vishwaroop. CNN-IBN Entertainment Editor watched the movie and found there was nothing communally offensive in the film. Most film critics who have seen Vishwaroop said the controversy was much ado about nothing.

Intolerance increasing in society: Javed Akhtar

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:26:15 +0530

The level of intolerance has increased in Indian society, National Award winning lyricist and Urdu poet Javed Akhtar said in Kolkata on Thursday.

'Vishwaroopam' would make Indian Muslims proud: Haasan

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:35:44 +0530

Kamal Haasan implored the fundamentalists to "see reason" and said he will not stop pursuing negotiations with them over his film 'Vishwaroopam', while talking to CNN-IBN on Thursday night. The actor and director also claimed he does not "rule out politics" in the controversy that has surrounded his Rs 95 crore budget film.

'Vishwaroopam' row: Haasan thanks Jayalalithaa for clarifying stand on ban

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:08:59 +0530

First signs of a possible compromise in Tamil Nadu emerge over the ban on Kamal Haasan's film 'Vishwaroopam'. At a press conference in Mumbai the actor and director thanked Chief Minister Jayalalitha for clarifying she had nothing to do with the ban.

Received 'huge support' from Muslim community: Haasan

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 06:32:13 +0530

Even as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa defended the government's decision on banning Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' from the state, the actor and director on Thursday thanked her and the "huge Muslim support" he received during the controversy. Haasan also clarified his statement of "leaving the country" and said he only said that because he was "angry".

Law and order is my first concern, have nothing against Haasan: Jaya

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 01:31:04 +0530

Facing criticism for the delay in the release of Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' in the state, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa came out strongly, defending her government's decision to ban the film. Jaya said that she had no option but to ban the movie as law and order was her top priority.

'Vishwaroopam': Not moving SC, says Kamal Haasan

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:29:00 +0530

In a dramatic turn of events, actor-director Kamal Haasan said on Thursday he would not move the Supreme Court against a stay on his film 'Vishwaroopam' by the Madras High Court even as Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari indicated that the government may consider amending the Cinematograph Act 1952.

Delighted by news on Cinematograph Act: Leela Samson

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:16:40 +0530

Censor board chairperson Leela Samson welcomed the government's step of considering amendments to the Cinematograph Act. Leela Samson said, "If the government comes up with this, it is the best news I have heard in a long time. We have been defending ourselves in Chennai against what the attorney said in court defending the state government. I am delighted by Manish Tewari's announcement."

'Vishwaroopam' ban: Govt mulls amending Cinematograph Act

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:46:05 +0530

In the backdrop of the controversy surrounding Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam', the Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari has indicated that the government may consider amending the law. He tweeted on Thursday that it's time the Cinematograph Act is revisited to ensure that state governments cannot question a certificate that is once given by the censor board.

'Vishwaroopam' ban: Advocate General blames censor board

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 07:46:06 +0530

Just a day after Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' got the green signal from the Madras High Court to screen the film, the decision was overturned on Wednesday. Tamil Nadu Advocate General A Navaneetha Krishnan said the interim order was against public interest and that the censor board itself was flouting norms when clearing films.

Kamal Haasan requests fans to stay calm

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:20:47 +0530

Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan on Wednesday urged his fans to remain calm after the Madras High Court reimposed a ban on his film "Vishwaroopam".

'Vishwaroopam' ban: Kamal Haasan may not approach SC

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:09:04 +0530

"Tamil Nadu wants me out. I don't know who's playing these games. I will find a secular state in India or may be go to another country. Bhai MF Hussain had to do it and so will I" - that was a very emotional Kamal Haasan addressing the media on Wednesday morning in the wake of the controversy surrounding the release of his film 'Vishwaroopam'.

'Vishwaroopam' ban: Mumbai angry, says Kamal Haasan has right to screen film

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:15:51 +0530

In Mumbai, people are speaking up against ban on Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' and are saying that it is Haasan's right to screen his film and their right to watch it.

Is Kamal Haasan victim of a political game of Tamil Nadu government?

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:00:05 +0530

Actor and director Kamal Haasan has said he is the victim of a political game. Is this cultural terrorism by the Tamil Nadu government? Is he being hounded by the state government?

States should implement censor board decisions: Tewari

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 07:58:50 +0530

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Wednesday said states should implement the decisions of the censor board regarding screening of films but refrained from commenting on Kamal Haasan's controversial movie 'Vishwaroopam' saying the matter was in court. "Since the High court has once again taken the matter within its purview, it would be inappropriate to comment on it. We would allow the High court to take cognisance of the matter holistically and come to whatever conclusion it considers appropriate. Because it's been a tradition that we do not comment on matters which are sub-judice," Tewari said.

'Vishwaroopam' not worth a public agitation: Haasan

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 07:48:30 +0530

Urging his fans to maintain calm, actor and director Kamal Haasan on Wednesday evening said that he was upset and not angry over the row surrounding his latest film, 'Vishwaroopam'. Addressing the media, Haasan said that 'Vishwaroopam' was "just a movie, not worth a public agitation'.

Vishwaroopam: Haasan paying the price of TN's cinema politics?

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 07:06:13 +0530

With Kamal Haasan's request to meet the most powerful person in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, being turned down, the iconic actor has turned to the people. Now that the Madras High Court, in a ruling that overturned a judge's order, has said 'Vishwaroopam' cannot open till February 6, left with no option, Haasan says he will leave Tamil Nadu.

Haasan's 'leaving India' remark unfortunate: Cong

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 06:50:57 +0530

The Congress Wednesday termed as "unfortunate" the remark of actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan that he may leave the country if the final verdict on his controversial film "Vishwaroopam" was not in his favour. Amid allegations of his film being against the Muslims, the actor said: "If there is no secular state in India, I would go overseas. I think Tamil Nadu wants me out. What would change is my passport; I would still be an Indian. I have pledged all my property for the film. I have lost my house because of delay in release."

Haasan to approach SC over stay on 'Vishwaroopam' in TN

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 04:27:41 +0530

Actor and director Kamal Haasan will approach the Supreme Court over the ban on his movie 'Vishwaroopam' in Tamil Nadu. The Madras High Court had on Wednesday set aside the single judge's order on Tuesday lifting the ban on Vishwaroopam. The screening of the film has now been stayed in the state till February 6. The court order came as petrol bombs were hurled at two theatres that were to screen the film.

Madras HC stays the release of Vishwaroopam

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 03:51:27 +0530

In another setback for actor Kamal Haasan, the Madras High Court on Wednesday set aside the interim order given by a judge on Tuesday. The film will not be released in the state till February 6.

No need for objection as film cleared by the Censor Board: Digvijaya

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 03:35:25 +0530

'Vishwaroopam' was banned in Tamil Nadu on the insistence of some Muslim organisations which felt that it depicted the community in poor light.

Kamal Haasan: Have agreed to cut some scenes

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 03:30:57 +0530

"I have been given a list of scenes; I don't want it to be marred by someone's confusion. I have agreed for certain cuts," he said.

TN: Petrol bombs hurled at 2 theatres scheduled to screen Vishwaroopam

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 03:27:14 +0530

Tension prevailed in Tamil Nadu over 'Vishwaroopam' as protestors hurled petrol bombs at two theatres in the Ramanathapuram district. The two theatres were scheduled to screen Vishwaroopam. There were reports of petrol bombs being hurled at theatres in Chennai and other areas across Tamil Nadu.

I'll look for another country if I don't find a secular place in India: Haasan

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:24:53 +0530

Actor Kamal Haasan on Wednesday made an emotional pitch ahead of the Madras High Court's final decision on the release of his film 'Vishwaroopam'. Questioning the religious tolerance in Tamil Nadu and India, Haasan said, "I think Tamil Nadu wants me out. I will wait for a secular place to live in from Kashmir to Kerala leaving Tamil Nadu."

TN govt challenges HC order lifting the ban on 'Vishwaroopam'

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:00:29 +0530

The Tamil Nadu government has challenged the Madras High Court's order of lifting the stay on Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam'. The case will come up before the first bench of the Madras High Court at 10.30 am on Wednesday.

Release 'Vishwaroopam' without any cuts, says Madras High Court

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 07:05:26 +0530

Kamal Haasan got a late night relief from the Madras High Court after the court decided to put in abeyance the prohibitory orders issued by the Tamil Nadu government to delay Vishwaroopam's release.

TN: Teacher suspended for writing love letter to 7th grade girl

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 04:25:01 +0530

A 24-year-old teacher was on Tuesday suspended for allegedly writing a love letter to a seventh standard girl in a government school near Nagapattinam. Official sources said Paul Mohan, teaching at the Panchayat Union Middle School at Adailaiyoor in the district, allegedly placed the letter written in English, professing his love, inside the notebook of the girl a few days ago.

No more Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu: Karnataka

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 03:40:34 +0530

Karnataka told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it cannot spare any more water for Tamil Nadu as it would affect the water needs of its own people.

Madras High Court revokes ban on 'Vishwaroopam'

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:45:48 +0530

In a relief to actor and director Kamal Haasan, the Madras High Court on Tuesday night lifted the stay on 'Vishwaroopam', overriding Tamil Nadu government's order of banning the film from theatres in Tamil Nadu. The ban itself was illegal because none of the orders were served in the court, said the two-page judgement.

TN: Man awarded life term for raping daughter

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:25:49 +0530

A 50-year-old man was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually abusing his 17-year-old daughter and making her pregnant twice.

Madras HC likely to decide on ban on 'Vishwaroopam' tonight

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:10:22 +0530

The hearing of arguments in actor-director Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' case is over and the Madras High Court reserved its order for 8:00 PM on Tuesday.

Cauvery water dispute: SC says K'taka should get precedence

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:26:18 +0530

Expressing concern over the ongoing Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court on Monday said that Karnataka's requirement of drinking water should get precedence over irrigation needs of Tamil Nadu.

Vishwaroopam row: Meet govt officials to find a solution, HC tells Haasan

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:05:55 +0530

The Madras High Court on Monday asked actor Kamal Haasan to meet government officials in Tamil Nadu and look for a possible solution to the row over his latest film 'Vishwaroopam' after its release was put on hold in the state. The judge, who saw the film on Sunday will hear the case on Tuesday now.

Madras HC to pronounce verdict on 'Vishwaroopam' today

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 06:29:17 +0530

The Madras High Court on Monday is expected to pronounce its verdict on Kamal Hasaan's controversial film 'Vishwaroopam' and whether it can be released in Tamil Nadu. The actor-director landed in Chennai late at night from Los Angeles but refused to comment on the matter.

TN: Judge watches 'Vishwaroopam', final verdict awaited Jan 28

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 02:20:31 +0530

Madras High Court's Justice K Venkatraman, along with some judicial members, watched a private screening of Kamal Haasan's banned film "Vishwaroopam" in Chennai Saturday. The court is likely to present its final verdict on the movie's release in Tamil Nadu January 28.

TN: Britisher pins Indian flag on trouser at a R-Day function

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 06:00:52 +0530

A visiting British teacher on Saturday caused a flutter when he pinned a miniature Indian national flag on his trouser to cover a torn portion in the leg area at the official Republic Day function here. Paul Fixer Dyke from a London school, on a visit to a private matriculation school here under an exchange programme of education department, was seen sitting in the front row with the metal flag pinned to cover the torn area.

'Vishwaroopam' releases in Bangalore, Hyderabad

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:19:37 +0530

Kamal Haasan's latest film 'Vishwaroopam' was screened in Bangalore and Hyderabad on Saturday, a day after its scheduled release date. The film ran into trouble after a few Muslim groups protested against the film's content claiming that it hurt their sentiments.

Vishwaroopam row: Centre must intervene, says BJP

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:42:09 +0530

Kamal Haasan's latest 'Vishwaroopam' ran into trouble following protests by Muslim groups.

UPA's diesel pricing policy short-sighted: Jayalalithaa

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:43:13 +0530

In a sharp attack on the Centre's dual pricing policy on diesel for bulk consumers, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday termed it as "ill-conceived" and "short-sighted" and demanded its withdrawal. In a hard-hitting letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Chief Minister said she was "appalled at the callousness and deviousness of this shocking move that defies all logic" and accused the UPA government of paying only "lip service" to protecting the 'aam aadmi', but raining "one blow after another" on them.

Actors, writers express anger at protests against 'Vishwaroopam'

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:10:20 +0530

A few Muslim groups protested against Kamal Haasan's lates, 'Vishwaroopam', alleging that its content was hurtful.

Anti-Vishwaroopam groups don't form majority: Haasan

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:52:39 +0530

In a scathing criticism of those who protested against his latest film, 'Vishwaroopam', Tamil actor Kamal Haasan said that they did not represent the majority. "My brothers have misunderstood me.. I think they must have more tolerance and must understand work of art, where it is coming from. I am sure these few do not represent the majority... Like how you said... how can one judge make a call for so many people? How can a few Muslims talk on behalf of the community?" he asked.

'Vishwaroopam' row: Madras HC decision on Monday

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:34:49 +0530

The Madras High Court will deliver its verdict on the controversy surrounding the content in Kamal Haasan's latest 'Vishwaroopam' on Monday. The movie ran into trouble after a few Muslim organisations alleged that certain parts of it hurt their religious sentiment. Following protests, the Tamil Nadu government had put its release on hold.

TN: BBA student arrested for molesting two minors

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:43:06 +0530

A final-year BBA student has been arrested for allegedly molesting two minor girls, both sisters, under the pretext of giving them tuition, at Chamundinagar area, police said. The girls, aged eight and six years, were playing in front of their house on Thursday night while their daily wage earning parents were away at work when the student enticed them to his house, saying he would teach them lessons and molested them, they said.

Amid protests by Muslim groups, Madras HC stays release of 'Vishwaroopam'

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:52:18 +0530

Legendary actor Kamal Haasan on Thursday reacted strongly to the Tamil Nadu government's decision to ban his latest film 'Vishwaroopam' following protests from some Muslim groups and said such "cultural terrorism" should stop.

Madras HC stays release of 'Vishwaroopam' till Jan 28

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 06:50:04 +0530

The Madras High Court on Thursday put a stay on Kamal Haasan's latest film 'Vishwaroopam' till January 28 and the judge is expected to watch the film on Januray 26 and then decide. Legendary actor Kamal Haasan on Thursday reacted strongly to the Tamil Nadu government's decision to ban his latest film 'Vishwaroopam' following protests from some Muslim groups and said such "cultural terrorism" should stop.

Puducherry: Bride says no to marriage, man marries guest

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 06:01:38 +0530

A 20-year-old woman's sudden decision on stage not to tie the knot with the groom at a village in neighbouring Tamil Nadu did not deter his parents, who got him married him off at the same venue to a relative. The woman refused to accept the mangalsutra on stage.

Sack Alagiri over fertiliser scam: Jaya to PM

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 04:56:57 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday demanded that Union Fertiliser Minister and DMK nominee MK Alagiri be sacked in connection with the alleged fertiliser subsidy scam.

Tamil Nadu bans screening of 'Vishwaroopam'

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:44:46 +0530

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday night banned the screening of Kamal Hasan's 'Vishwaroopam' following strong protests from various Muslim organisations over alleged depiction of their community in a negative light. Official sources said the state government has asked the respective district collectors to invoke necessary legal provisions to maintain law and order.

CBI raids Dental Council members at 8 places across India

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 02:41:31 +0530

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday conducted raids on Dental Council of India members at eight places across the country. The raids were conducted in Hyderabad, Chennai, Mangalore and Bangalore among other places.

Indian flag hoisted at Chennai in 1947 to be on display

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:13:36 +0530

The Indian tricolour, which was hoisted in 1947 at the 17th century British centre of power, Fort St George, in Chennai on the declaration of India's independence, will be on display at the special gallery in the Fort Museum. The special gallery will be inaugurated on January 26.

Cauvery issue: TN to move SC seeking damages from Karnataka

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:14:47 +0530

Intensifying the legal battle over the Cauvery river waters issue, Tamil Nadu Government on Monday decided to move the Supreme Court seeking damages from Karnataka for the loss of crops caused by the neighbouring state's "adamant approach" on release of water. Initiating yet another litigation on the bitter decades-old Cauvery row between the two riparian states, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered officials to file a suit in the apex court claiming damages to compensate for the loss of Kuruvai (short-term) and Samba (long-term) paddy crops in the state.

Jaya DA case: Defence witnesses to depose today

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:34:31 +0530

It is a crucial day for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Defence witnesses in the disproportionate assets case against her are expected to depose on Monday.

Jaya announces Rs 3 crore worth initiatives in education

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 02:25:16 +0530

Tamil Nadu Government on January 19 announced different initiatives in higher education sector, including setting up of Incumbation and Technology Transfer Centres in nine universities at a proposed expenditure of over Rs 3 crore.

Jayalalithaa sanctions over Rs 25 cr for health sector

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 02:09:22 +0530

Announcing a slew of measures in the health sector, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on January 19 sanctioned over Rs 25 crore for various works including upgradation of the Government Dental College and Hospital here.

TN: AIADMK protest against diesel, train fare hike

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 11:14:54 +0530

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday announced a statewide protest against the hikes in diesel prices and the train fares.

TN: 55-year-old ex-ISRO engineer missing

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 06:59:04 +0530

55-year old former ISRO engineer from Bangalore, on a visit to his cousin's family in Salem, is missing since January 14, police said on Friday.

Will act against those guilty in dental scam: Dr Gunaseelan

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 01:50:28 +0530

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday summoned state dental council president Dr Gunaseelan Rajan in the case relating to alleged bribe taken by a dental council member for granting approval to a private dental college in Tamil Nadu to start a post-graduate course. Dr Gunaseelan however claimed that his name was being misused and that he'll punish those guilty in the scam.

Dental college scam: CBI summons TN Dental Council President

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 01:40:22 +0530

Man held for entering ISRO centre using fake ID

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 01:04:10 +0530

In a security breach, a 52-year-old man entered the sensitive area of ISRO's cryogenic engine testing centre at Mahendragiri near here using a fake identity card and was arrested along with two others who facilitated his ingress.

Polio-stricken man returns to from Canada to spread awareness

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:11:13 +0530

As the country marks two years of being polio free, CNN-IBN brings the story of Ramesh Ferris. Fighting all odds and biases against children with polio, the crusader is spreading awareness about the disease.

TN: CBI raids residence of state dental council chief

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:46:12 +0530

CBI on Sunday conducted a raid at the residence of a dentist here in connection with the case relating to alleged bribe taken by a dental council member for granting approval to a private dental college in Tamil Nadu to start a post-graduate course.

Tax evasion of Rs 362 crore detected from Chennai zone

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 12:52:21 +0530

Excise duty and service tax evasion of about Rs 362 crore has been detected up to December in the current financial year by the Chennai zonal unit of Central excise department. "During the current financial year (up to December 2012), the Directorate General Of Central Excise Intelligence, Chennai Zonal Unit has detected central excise duty and service tax evasion to the tune of Rs 362.45 crore," the department said in a statement.

Coimbatore: Youth arrested for attempting to rape minor

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 11:55:51 +0530

A 24-year-old youth was arrested on charges of attempting to molest a minor girl in nearby Tirupur, police said on Sunday. The accused took the 8-year-old minor girl to a lonely spot and tried to sexually abuse her, the police added.

TN: Century old rail bridge damaged in barge collision

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 11:20:57 +0530

A century-old railway bridge near Pamban coast was damaged and rail link to Rameswaram was disrupted as a barge towing a naval ship, which had ran aground, drifted and collided with it on Sunday, officials said. The accident occurred after authorities failed to pull the barge and the ship into deep waters, port officials said.

Coimbatore: Minor buried alive under ration sacks

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 12:11:36 +0530

A seven-year-old boy died on Saturday when some bags of ration articles fell on him at nearby Tirupur, police said. The boy had gone with his mother to the shop at Veethikadai and reportedly climbed on the bags and was playing.

Commercial operation of Kudankulam plant delayed

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 01:21:37 +0530

The commercial operation of the controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) has been delayed further and is expected to commence in February. The commercial operation of the 1000 MW first unit of the Indo-Russian project, which had been delayed following anti-nuclear protests, was expected in February, the Nuclear Power Corporation Limited (NPCIL) said.

SC notice to CBI, BSNL over misuse of public office by Maran

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:49:55 +0530

The Supreme Court has issued notices to the CBI and BSNL on a PIL alleging misuse of public office by former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran. The petition alleges that Maran had set up a BSNL exchange in Chennai and routed the lines to Sun TV offices.

Railway fare hike: DMK to take up the issue with PM

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 01:39:23 +0530

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a key constituent of the United Progressive Alliance, on Thursday said that it would take up the latest railway fare increase issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Party chief Karunanidhi said that he would not support any hike that would hit the poor.

Delay in notifying award deprived TN water rights: Jaya

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 01:45:08 +0530

The delay in notifying the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in the Central Gazette has deprived the rights of Tamil Nadu on Cauvery and also in receiving the due share of the river water, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said on Wednesday.

Chennai: Kuwait-bound flight makes emergency landing

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:00:01 +0530

A Kuwait-bound flight with 216 passengers onboard made an emergency landing in Chennai after it developed a technical malfunction in mid-air, airport sources said on Wednesday.

DCI member caught taking bribe from college staff

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 03:33:52 +0530

A member of the Dental Council of India has been arrested red-handed for taking bribe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. DCI member Dr Murugesan was arrested when he was taking the bribe of Rs 25 lakh from Dr Rambhadran, administrative officer of a dental college.

I will endorse Stalin as next DMK chief: Karunanidhi

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 03:39:31 +0530

wo days after Dravida Munnetra Kazagham chief M Karunanidhi's elder son and Union Minister MK Alagiri publicly objected to his father's statement where he named his younger son MK Stalin as the next chief of the DMK, the party chief made a clarification on Sunday. Karunanidhi said that while in his personal capacity he would endorse Stalin as the next party president, it was the party which will take the last decision.

DMK is not stupid to name Karunanidhi's successor: Alagiri

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 04:41:32 +0530

Union minister MK Alagiri on Friday said that the DMK was not a mutt (a seminary or religious body) to appoint a successor to the party chief.

Karuna says he's not in favour of death for rapists

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 07:15:28 +0530

Finding fault with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's 13-point action plan for women's safety, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on January 5 said he was of the firm opinion that awarding solitary confinement till death to rape convicts alone could check such heinous crimes.

Kudankulam station director receives threat letter

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 01:36:33 +0530

Even as the controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant is set to be commissioned in January, an anonymous letter threatening its site director has sent the authorities and police into a tizzy. The letter, addressed to Director RS Sundar and received by post Friday evening, warned that Sundar would be eliminated if he went ahead with commissioning of the plant, police said.

Centre gets till Jan 31 to decide on Cauvery water award

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 02:45:09 +0530

The Supreme Court on Friday gave the central government time till January 31 to decide whether it would notify the decision of the water resources ministry accepting the Cauvery Water Tribunal award on the sharing of Cauvery river water.

TN: Two men arrested for raping 16-year-old girl

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 01:25:17 +0530

Two men were arrested in Namagiripet on Friday for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl, police said.

Stalin will remain powerless till his father remains DMK boss: Meenakshi Mahadevan

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 06:09:33 +0530

Is the DMK succession issue finally settled? CNN-IBN's senior correspondent Meenakshi Mahadevan joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.

DMK not a religious body, can't name successor: Alagiri

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 01:55:31 +0530

DMK chief and Union minister M Karunanidhi's elder son MK Alagiri has reacted strongly to his father's naming younger brother MK Stalin as his successor. Speaking to reporters, Alagiri said the DMK is not a religious mutt, meaning that it's not up to the chief to name a successor.

Man sets himself on fire over increasing rape incidents

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 04:42:04 +0530

Even as the entire Nation was boiling over the gangrape incident in Delhi, a 38-year-old man on Thursday set him ablaze on the premises of Court in Palladam in the nearby Tirupur District, protesting against the increasing rape incidents.

Karunanidhi says Stalin will be next DMK chief

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:22:28 +0530

Hinting that younger son MK Stalin will be his heir, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Thursday perhaps laid to rest speculation on who will win the battle between the two brothers - Stalin and MK Alagiri - to lead the party after him.

Kudankulam unit-1 to be commissioned in 2 weeks: AEC

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:59:09 +0530

The much-delayed Kudankulam project is set to be commissioned within the next two weeks as nuclear scientists have entered the final lap of a series of tests on its safety and efficacy. "Within this month 100 per cent. It will take about two weeks," Ratan Kumar Sinha, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission said here on the sidelines of the 100th Indian Science Congress when asked about the commissioning of the first 1,000 MW unit of the project.

Tamil Nadu: Explosion in fireworks unit kills one

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:04:19 +0530

A 42-year-old worker was killed and two others were seriously injured in a blast at a firework factory near Alangudi here, police said on Thursday. The victims were packing chemicals when the blast, caused by friction, ripped through the godown of the factory at Annanagar near Alangudi here Wednesday evening, they said.

Khurshid's stay at 'illegal' resort draws ire of activists

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 03:10:22 +0530

Drawing the ire of green activists, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has reportedly stayed and celebrated New Year in a private resort, declared "illegal" and directed to be closed by court, in the Bokkapuram forest area coming under the elephant corridor in Tamil Nadu.

Centre not biased in allocating funds to TN: MK Alagiri

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 05:44:38 +0530

Refuting charges that the Union Government was biased in allocating funds for Tamil Nadu, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers MK Alagiri on January 1 said whatever allocation was made to the state during DMK rule is being made now. "The chief minister (Jayalalithaa) is deliberately making such statements for political reasons.She is giving political cover to ordinary issues," he said when asked about Jayalalithaa's reported charge that the Centre was not helping the state in anyway.

Tamil Nadu: MDMK to contest Lok Sabha polls

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 02:44:07 +0530

After boycotting the 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls and a token contest in the Sankarankoil (SC) bypoll later, MDMK has decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in 2014. "We have decided to contest in the general elections. We cannot say anything further," party chief Vaiko said, announcing the party's decision here.

TN: Jayalalithaa issues stern steps for safety of women

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 11:26:51 +0530

Tamil Nadu has become the first state to issue tough measures to deal with crimes against women after the horrific Delhi gangrape shocked the nation. In a statement, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has asked for existing laws to be amended to allow for chemical castration and death to rapists. She has promised fast-track Mahila courts as well and an exclusive helpline. Police in civilian clothing will be deployed at places where women turn out in large numbers as well.

AIADMK will fight Lok Sabha polls alone: Jaya

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 03:57:19 +0530

Slamming the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka for being "determined" in denying Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on Monday said her party would go alone in the next Lok Sabha polls and secure all 40 seats in order to assert its rights in Delhi.

Youth held for showing obscene photos to minor girls

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 01:15:51 +0530

A 19-year-old boy was on Monday arrested on charges of showing obscene photos on mobile phone to three school girls, aged 10-11 years, police said.

Sri Lanka releases 27 Tamil Nadu fishermen

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 01:29:04 +0530

The 27 fishermen, who were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy recently and later released by a court, arrived here on December 29. A court at Trincomalee had on December 26 ordered their release and their four boats seized by the Lankan Navy. The fishermen, who belonged to Karaikal and Nagapattinam, were arrested on December 23 when they were fishing reportedly in the Lankan maritime area.

Granite mining scam: Alagiri's son questioned by police

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:58:55 +0530

Union Minister MK Alagiri's son Durai Dayanidhi was grilled by police in Tamil Nadu's Madurai in connection with illegal mining of granite by a company in which he was a director.

Jayalalithaa walks out of NDC meet in Delhi

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 11:41:48 +0530

The National Development Council meeting in New Delhi began on a stormy note on Thursday with AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who does not enjoy cordial relations with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government, accusing the Centre of stifling the voices of opposition-ruled states and then in a dramatic act walked out of the venue. Jayalalithha said that her walkout was to register her protest against the Centre's attitude towards chief ministers belonging to opposition parties.

Lankan court orders release of 27 Tamil Nadu fishermen

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 03:06:41 +0530

A Sri Lankan court has ordered the release of 27 fishermen who were taken into custody by the Lankan Navy recently along with their four boats, fisheries officials said on Wednesday.

Jaya wealth case: Sudhakaran records statements

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 02:44:12 +0530

VN Sudhakaran, disowned foster son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and co-accused in the multi-crore disproportionate assets case against her, on Wednesday appeared before a special court for recording his statements.

TN: Teacher suspended for misbehaving with girl student

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 12:44:26 +0530

A Physical Education Teacher was on Wednesday suspended for allegedly misbehaving with a girl at Keezhadi Government Higher Secondary school some days ago, police said.

Mining scam: Police summon Alagiri's son

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 01:43:11 +0530

Madurai police on Wednesday issued summons to Union Steel Minister MK Alagiri's son Durai Dayanidhi once again in connection with the multi-crore granite mining scam.

TN: Doomsday fears linger among 2004 tsunami survivors

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 10:44:28 +0530

Eight years after tsunami struck the Tamil Nadu coast killing thousands, fear of the unknown continues to raise its head if and when there is news of a possible disaster.

Sasikala's claim in court unadulterated lie: Karuna

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 07:20:17 +0530

DMK President M Karunanidhi on Tuesday dismissed as 'absolute unadulterated lie' the claim made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala in a court that he had offered to exclude her from a wealth case against the AIADMK supremo if she turned against her.

Tamil Nadu: Fire at a cracker factory in Salem, 7 dead

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 06:37:18 +0530

At least 7 people were killed in a fire at a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu's Salem district on Tuesday.

TN: Two sisters raped for six months; 2 arrested

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 03:57:16 +0530

Two teenaged sisters, reportedly abandoned by their parents, were allegedly raped over a six-month period by two men at their house where they were working as maids, police said on Monday.

Jaya to attend swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 02:16:42 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister on December 26. Jayalalithaa will be visiting Gujarat following an invitation from Modi, who was elected as Chief Minister for a third consecutive time, an official release said today.

Karuna asked me to turn against Jaya, says Sasikala

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 06:37:14 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala Natarajan on Saturday claimed in a special court here that DMK chief M Karunanidhi had in 1996 offered to exclude her from the wealth case against the AIADMK supremo if she turned against her.

TN: New-born baby girl found abandoned in train

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 04:28:18 +0530

A new-born girl baby was found abandoned in a textile shopper bag in a coach of the Pandiyan Express train at neighbouring Dindigul on Thursday night.

Jaya urges PM to notify Cauvery Tribunal's final order

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 02:47:10 +0530

Citing an order of the apex court, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday urged Prime Minister Mammohan Singh to expedite the notification of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final order before the end of this month.

Centre will pay heavy price for imposing FDI: CPM

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:51:08 +0530

Lashing out at the UPA on the FDI in multi-brand retail, CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat on Wednesday said the Centre will pay a "heavy political price" for trying to impose it, which is "anti-national" and "anti-people". "I am confident that majority of the people in this country are against this policy and we are confident that in the coming days, the Congress and UPA government will have to pay a heavy political price for trying to impose the anti-people and anti-national policy on us," Karat said at a public meeting in Chennai.

DA case: Sasikala's statement to be recorded today

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 04:06:19 +0530

After a gap of over seven months, the recording of the statement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala Natarajan resumed on Wednesday before the special court trying the disproportionate assets case against them.

Dalit youth found dead in alleged honour killing

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:10:10 +0530

The body a Dalit youth, reportedly in love with a Vanniyar girl and missing since last week, has been found in a village lake in Cuddalore District, the Madras High Court was informed on Wednesday. When the Habeas Corpus petition filed by the father of the 20-year old M Gopalakrishnan came up for hearing, counsel for the petitioner M Radhakrishnan informed the court that the body of the missing person was found in a lake in Parathur.

More power projects need of the hour in Tamil Nadu: Meenakshi Mahadevan

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 04:33:04 +0530

Tamil Nadu faces a severe power shortage problem. With the state reeling under regular and prolonged periods of power cuts, DMK supremo Karunanidhi has just launched a statewide agitation. Meenakshi Mahadevan of CNN-IBN joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on what the government's plans to do to tackle the situation and if a solution is in sight.

DMK chief leads protest on TN power crisis

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:06:47 +0530

Taking on the Jayalalithaa government, Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi on Tuesday led a state-wide protest on the power crisis and questioned its claims about the state being 'peaceful'. "It is unfortunate that she (Jayalalithaa) has claimed the law and order situation is good," the 88-year-old Karunanidhi said, addressing partymen who shouted slogans against the government.

TN: Kanchipuram's weaving industry hit by powercuts

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 08:30:17 +0530

For the weavers of Kanchipuram, the darkness has now become a part of their daily life. With a massive six-eight hour power cut everyday, business in the silk capital of India is taking a massive hit. And due to decline in production, the weavers are now forced to move to other lucrative professions.

Next LS polls between Walmart and Swadesh fronts: BJP

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 07:16:29 +0530

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader P Muralidhar Rao on Saturday said the 2014 Lok Sabha polls would be fought between the "Walmart front" and the nationalist or Swadeshi front with the UPA government going ahead with the FDI in retail sector. "The UPA and DMK, they stand for Walmart. I can call it a 'Walmart front."

Anti-KNPP protests are gimmicks: Russian envoy

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 01:36:56 +0530

Protests against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project that have led to delay in its commissioning are 'gimmicks and ames' of those who do not want to see India emerge stronger, Russian ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin has said. He also said Friday night the first KNPP unit is almost ready and second one will be ready within six months.

Granite scam: Durai Dayanidhi surrenders in Madurai court

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:05:05 +0530

Union Steel Minister MK Alagiri's son Durai Dayanidhi on Friday surrendered at a Madurai court four days after being granted anticipatory bail in the granite scam case by the Madras High Court. Accompanied by a battery of advocates and DMK workers, he paid a personal security of Rs 10,000, while two persons stood as personal surety, at the court of Judicial Magistrate Jaykumar.

Attempts on for 'back door entry' of Walmart in TN: DMK

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:41:35 +0530

Key UPA constituent DMK, which supported Centre in the FDI vote in Parliament, on Thursday said attempts are on to provide "back-door entry" to global retail giant Walmart in the state even as Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had opposed FDI in multi-brand retail in the state. The DMK's Executive, which met here under party chief M Karunanidhi, said reports had suggested Walmart was in the process of establishing a commercial complex at Vanagaram near Chennai and a marketing office at the prime location of Anna Nagar, which fall in the "state of domain" of Jayalalithaa.

KNPP commissioning put off to new year

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:17:20 +0530

Controversy-embroiled Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project will once again miss the target as the time frame of commissioning of the first unit has now been revised to the new year. Commercial operation of the 1,000 MW first unit, where 99.65 per cent of the physical progress has been completed, is expected to take place in January next, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said.

Focus of protests remains safety concerns: Meenakshi Mahadevan

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:38:19 +0530

With the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project coming closer, anti-nuclear activists are upping the ante once again. CNN-IBN's senior correspondent Meenakshi Mahadevan joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the anti-nuke protests.

Former employee arrested for cheating British Council

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:31:49 +0530

A former employee of the British Council in Chennai was on Tuesday arrested for allegedly cheating the Council of Rs 62.5 lakh, police said. Former acting Head of Internal Services at the Council, Marcello Philbert, along with his in-laws had forged documents.

Railways asks devotees to not take bath in coaches

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 07:22:40 +0530

Southern Railways on Tuesday joined issue with a section of Lord Ayyappa devotees, who protested over water shortage at the Erode Station, and said the allegation of water shortage and stoppage of trains arose only during the Sabarimala season.

Go to Cauvery authority: SC to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:21:47 +0530

The Supreme Court on Monday asked Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to approach the Cauvery River Authority headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resolve their dispute over the sharing of the river's water.

Jaya: Christian schooling helped my progress

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:48:33 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday attributed her schooling in Christian institutions for her progress in life. In her address at a Christmas function attended by senior Christian leaders from the state among others, she recalled her schooling at Bishop Cotton in Bangalore and Holy Angels and Church Park Convents in Chennai and said that had shaped her.

TN: Girls tied to lamp post, beaten by public over theft

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:46:08 +0530

In a shocking incident, three teenaged girls were tied to a lamp post and badly beaten up by the public on suspicion of having stolen Rs 1,000 from a textile shop in Salem in Tamil Nadu, police said. The girls were rescued by police and hospitalised.

Illegal granite mining: Durai granted anticipatory bail

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:22:55 +0530

A Madurai court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to the son of DMK MP Alagiri, Durai Dayanidhi, who is wanted in 30,000 crore illegal granite mining scam.

Chennai: 4 students die in a road accident

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:32:55 +0530

In an early morning tragedy in Chennai, four students died in a road accident at one of the busy roads near Perungudi. The four students were travelling on the footboard of a bus reportedly.

Protesters threaten to lay siege to Kudankulam plant today

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 06:51:00 +0530

With the commissioning of the much-delayed Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project expected by the end of this month, anti-nuclear activists are planning to lay siege to the facility on Monday, to press for scrapping the project.

Ascertain Wal-Mart's plans in Tamil Nadu: DMK

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 11:43:10 +0530

Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam, which voted in favour of foreign direct investment in retail in Parliament, despite voicing its opposition to the measure, on Sunday asked the Tamil Nadu government to ascertain US retail chain Wal-Mart's plans in the state and take appropriate action.

Coimbatore: Man kills wife with grinding stone

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 07:57:38 +0530

A 37-year-old labourer was arrested on Sunday on charges of killing his wife with a grinding stone at Anuppalpalayam in nearby Tirupur District, police said.

Cauvery water dispute keeps TN, Karnataka tense

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 09:29:58 +0530

The emotive Cauvery water sharing dispute continues to keep Karnataka and Tamil Nadu tense. The Cauvery Monitoring Committee has come out with a distress sharing formula, but yet another appeal will be before the Supreme Court in two days.

Karnataka told to release more Cauvery water to TN

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 12:26:51 +0530

Karnataka was on Friday directed by the Cauvery Monitoring Committee to release 12 TMC (thousand million cubic) feet of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu during December. The state said it would appeal the order.

Cauvery water: TN vehicles stop plying to K'taka

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:59:31 +0530

Vehicles have stopped plying from Sathyamangalam to Mysore following demonstrations and hartal by some Kannada outfits in parts of Karnataka protesting the Supreme Court directive to release 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. For the second consecutive day, more than 800 lorries, 300 vans and 200 other vehicles have been parked at Sathyamangalam, Bannari check-post and near Thimbam, police said.

Karnataka begins to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:06:51 +0530

Karnataka on Thursday night began releasing Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu from the Krishna Raja Sagar Reservoir as per a Supreme Court directive.

Cauvery row: Karnataka CM to lead MPs delegation to Delhi

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:26:39 +0530

In the wake of Supreme Court directing Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Thursday said he would lead a MPs team from the Cauvery Basin to meet the Prime Minister for apprising him of the distress situation in his state.

SC reserves order on Kudankulam nuclear plant

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 05:05:41 +0530

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on a plea seeking a stay on commissioning of the Kudankulam nuclear plant till all safety measures are put in place.

Tamil Nadu tops in domestic violence cases

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 12:28:19 +0530

Tamil Nadu has got the dubious distinction of having the highest number of domestic violence cases in the country with the state recording 3,983 such cases in 2011, the government said on November 30.

FDI decision rude shock to small traders: AIADMK

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 03:53:17 +0530

Opposing the government decision on foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail, the AIADMK on Wednesday termed it to be a rude shock for the number of traditional small traders in the country.

TN: Spinning mills take state power utility to court

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 03:17:19 +0530

The Tamil Nadu Spinning Mills Association (TASMA) on Wednesday took Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd. (TANGEDCO) to court for cutting off power to its members despite having dedicated power feeder lines, said an association official.

Tamil Nadu: Apollo Tyres to set up power plant

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 03:24:52 +0530

To meet its electricity requirements in a power-starved Tamil Nadu, tyre company Apollo Tyres Ltd is planning to set up a 15 MW thermal power plant at its factory near Chennai, the company said on Tuesday.

Cauvery water: Centre soft on Karnataka, says Tamil Nadu

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:46:01 +0530

Since Karnataka is heading for Assembly elections in 2013, the central government may not be pushing it hard to release Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court was told by a counsel on Monday.

TN: Karunanidhi appeals for calm over Cauvery waters

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 01:56:21 +0530

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka should step up efforts to check bitterness among the people of the two states over the issue of sharing of Cauvery waters, DMK president M Karunanidhi said on Monday amid reports of some violent incidents in the border areas.

Cauvery talks fail, K'taka refuses to release water to TN

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 04:23:07 +0530

The deadlock between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over River Cauvery water sharing continued on Thursday as the former refused to release any more water to the neighbouring state. Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa alleged that Karnataka "flatly refused to release any water".

Cauvery row: Jayalalithaa, Shettar to meet today

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:27:44 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her Karnataka counterpart Jagadish Shettar are meeting in Bangalore on Thursday on the Cauvery water sharing row heeding the Supreme Court advice amid indications that a breakthrough is unlikely.

18th century Keralite 'martyr' to be beatified by church

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:51:01 +0530

An 18th century 'martyr', who sacrificed his life for the faith in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore, will be beatified by a Catholic church on December 2 at Nagarcoil in Tamil Nadu.

TN: Prisoners threaten to commit suicide in Coimbatore

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 01:23:25 +0530

High drama prevailed for some time in the Central Jail when six prisoners, detained under Goonda Act, climbed atop the roof of a block and a tree and threatened to commit suicide, if authorities did not stop search and raid in the cells.

SC asks K'taka, TN to 'amicably' resolve Cauvery water row

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:41:52 +0530

The Supreme Court has urged Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to sort out the differences over the Cauvery river water sharing issue amongst themselves. The apex court has asked CMs Jagadish Shettar and J Jayalalithaa to break the logjam through meaningful dialogue.

Meet and solve Cauvery dispute: SC to Jaya, Shettar

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:04:30 +0530

The Supreme Court on Monday asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar to meet and find an amicable solution to the Cauvery river water dispute.

No plan to dump N-waste in KGF: Minister

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 03:01:05 +0530

The Centre on Saturday made it clear there was no plan to dump Uranium waste from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in defunct gold mines at Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) in Karnataka. Amid media reports that Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd has decided to dump the uranium waste in KGF, Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy said the waste will not be taken to KGF.

2G report row: DMK to move motion for debate in Parl

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 09:13:02 +0530

The ruling-coalition UPA's key constituent, the DMK will move a motion in Parliament for a discussion on the charges levelled by ex-CAG audit officer RP Singh against BJP leader and Public Accounts Committee Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi, government sources say.

Delhi is biased, says Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 02:03:51 +0530

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday accused the central government of taking a negative approach towards Tamil Nadu's demands.

Tamil Nadu: DMK leader Arumugam dead

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:37:05 +0530

Senior DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam died on Friday after a brief illness.

Tamil Nadu: 4 fishermen attacked by Sri Lankan navy

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:05:42 +0530

Four fishermen were injured on Thursday when they were attacked allegedly by Sri Lankan naval personnel when they were fishing near Katchatheevu in the Palk Straits, officials said.

Chennai: No checks on road during peak hours to ensure smooth traffic

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:33:07 +0530

In Chennai, the traffic police will no longer be conducting random checks during peak traffic hours in an attempt to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city.

Stringent norms for selecting candidates: Cong leader

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 01:43:57 +0530

As part of gearing up for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has issued stringent norms for selecting candidates, a senior party leader said on Wednesday. The party has launched a mission of selecting a panel of three members for each of the parliamentary constituencies, and one among the three, most propably, would be fielded as candidate, Rudraraju Padma Raju, Andhra Pradesh Government Whip, who had been entrusted with the task of shortlisting the panel members in 10 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, said.

TN: Court summons Karunanidhi in defamation case

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 08:20:54 +0530

A court in Chennai on Monday issued summons to DMK President M Karunanidhi and S Selvam, Printer, Publisher and Editor of Tamil daily 'Murasoli', to appear before it on December 18 in connection with a defamation case filed by the Tamil Nadu Government.

Tamil Nadu: Leader of Thevar outfit arrested

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 11:32:07 +0530

Leader of a Thevar outfit Shanmugaiyah Pandian was arrested on Monday for reportedly instigating his community against the Dalits in Kadaladi area, police said.

Tamil Nadu man back from Dubai jail after 27 years

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:20:34 +0530

After spending 27 years in a Dubai prison, Paul George, a native of Nagercoil in neighbouring Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, has returned home. George, now 64, could be released with the intervention of Dileep, who was his co-prisoner at the jail in connection with another case, family sources said.

Facing arrest, CRPF jawan agrees to marry lover

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 11:48:15 +0530

Facing arrest on a complaint of cheating by his lover, a CRPF constable who allegedly dumped her after making her pregnant agreed to marry her. Murugan of Attur was in love with his 25-year old neighbour for the past two year, but went back on his promise to marry her. He had also allegedly threatened to kill the woman, who was seven months pregnant, police said on Saturday.

Jaya writes to PM on remarks on Nadars in CBSE book

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:22:58 +0530

Joining other political leaders in the state, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday demanded removal of "objectionable" references in the CBSE textbook about Nadar community which has produced great leaders like K Kamaraj and their contribution to the society was immeasurable. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she said the "incorrect" details in the textbook of class IX were "very misleading and may leave a wrong impression in the minds of the students" about the community.

Ooty: Temperature hits zero degree

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:27:08 +0530

The temperature in and around Ooty hill station, a major tourist spot, touched zero degree, with frost covering nearly a 10 kilometre area, officials said. Tourists and citizens ventured out only after 8.30 am, as the biting cold made them sit indoors, they said.

Karunanidhi keeps up suspense over stand on FDI

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:13:20 +0530

Continuing the suspense over its stand on any Opposition-sponsored resolution in Parliament against FDI in retail, crucial UPA ally DMK on Wednesday said that its decision would be taken keeping in mind the interest of small and medium traders.

Chennai: Man held for taking Chidambaram's pics at airport

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:59:42 +0530

A 34-year-old man has been taken into custody for questioning after he was seen taking pictures of Finance Minister P Chidambaram at the airport in Chennai, airport sources said on Wednesday. They said Amir was seen taking pictures of the Minister, who left for New Delhi on Tuesday, using his camera. Amir had confirmed first-class tickets to Delhi and from there to Dubai.

TN: Man beaten to death for advising to drive safely

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:17:42 +0530

A man was allegedly beaten to death at Attur in the district by five persons who were irked over his advising them to drive safely, police said on Wednesday.

TN: Work begins on metallic fuel reactor at Kalpakkam

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 05:18:24 +0530

Initial steps for the construction of another fast-breeder test reactor powered by metallic fuel at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) complex at Kalpakkam has begun, a senior official said on Monday.

Eelam Tamils issue: Karunanidhi seeks UN referendum

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:31:49 +0530

Key UPA constituent DMK on Sunday night said India should press United Nations to undertake a "referendum" on the Eelam Tamils issue. "India should press United Nations to undertake a public vote on the Eelam Tamils issue. DMK will be supportive to the Centre if it takes a stand to pressurise the UN (in taking a referendum)," DMK President M Karunanidhi said.

Chennai: Passengers stranded at airport for 4 hours

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 12:31:40 +0530

Over 100 Kuala Lumpur-bound passengers were stranded at the airport here for over four hours due to a delay in the arrival of the Air Asia flight from Malaysia.

Tamil Nadu: Mob sets 285 Dalits' houses on fire

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:07:37 +0530

Angered by a man committing suicide over his daughter marrying a Dalit boy, a mob torched 285 huts in three Dalit colonies in the district, but there were no casualties as all the people had fled to neighbouring areas, police said.

Cyclone Nilam: Fishermen jumped into the sea to save sailors

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:51:33 +0530

As Cyclone Nilam ravaged the coast of Chennai, five brave fishermen jumped into the sea to save sailors of MT Pratibha Cauvery from drowning. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has announced a cash reward for each of them. CNN-IBN met those brave souls.

Cyclone Nilam: Karuna asks govt to take up relief work

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 08:26:10 +0530

DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Saturday urged Tamil Nadu government to take up on war-footing relief works in the cyclone Nilam affected districts.

Cyclone Nilam: Bodies of all five sailors recovered

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:02:20 +0530

Bodies of all five sailors, who went missing after an oil tanker ran aground off the city beach hours before cyclone 'Nilam' made landfall on November 1, have been recovered. While four bodies were recovered on Friday, one more was found washed ashore near Minjur coastal area early on Saturday morning, police said.

Salvage operations of 'Prathiba Cauvery' to start soon

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:04:47 +0530

The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) would soon begin salvage operations of the ship which had run aground near Chennai. The salvage operation is likely to start from November 7, a press release issued by the Directorate said. "A meeting with the owners, salvors, hull and machinery insurance and protection and indemnity club was held to plan out the salvage of the vessel," the statement said adding the salvors have already boarded the vessel "Pratibha Cauvery".

Cyclone Nilam: Death toll 4, body of another sailor found

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:33:12 +0530

The death toll in cyclone Nilam has gone up to four, after the body of yet another missing sailor was found on Friday. Earlier in the day, the bodies of two missing sailors were found. A total of five sailors went missing after their life boat was wrecked in the cyclone that hit the Tamil Nadu coast on Wednesday evening. The total number of missing sailors is now down to two.

Cyclone Nilam: Body of another sailor found, 3 missing

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:50:37 +0530

Rescue and search operations yielded the body of yet another sailor, who had gone missing along with four others after cyclone Nilam wrecked their life boat off the Chennai coast. Early on Friday morning, the body of another was found, thus bringing the tally of those still missing down to three.

Cyclone Nilam: Body of another missing sailor found

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:53:29 +0530

The body of one of the five missing sailors, whose lifeboat was wrecked in cyclone Nilam that hit the Tamil Nadu coast on Wednesday evening, has been found. The body has been sent to a government hospital for identification. The five sailors went missing after their life boat capsized in choppy waters while 16 were rescued by local fishermen and one drowned.

Chennai: Search continues for missing sailors

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 09:12:04 +0530

Search operations were intensified on Thursday to trace five missing crew of an oil tanker that ran aground off a city beach hours before the landfall of cyclone "Nilam" that swept through the northern parts of Tamil Nadu. Coast Guard this morning rescued 15 sailors, who were stranded onboard the tanker 'Pratibha Cauvery' that drifted in high velocity winds before it ran aground near the Eliotts Beach in South Chennai on Wednesday.

Cyclone Nilam weakens, search on for missing sailors

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 07:55:54 +0530

Cyclone Nilam hit the Tamil Nadu coast near Mahabalipuram on Wednesday evening, leaving one person dead. A crew member of a stranded ship drowned after a life boat carrying him and 21 others capsized in choppy waters off Besant Nagar locality in south Chennai in high velocity winds just hours before the cyclone hit the coast.

Cyclone Nilam: Oil tanker runs aground

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 07:34:03 +0530

An oil tanker with 37-member crew on board on Wednesday ran aground off the city coast under the impact of high velocity winds before the landfall of cyclone 'Nilam'. Chennai Port Trust sources said that Coast Guard and other agencies had launched operations to rescue some crew members as a life boat carrying them capsized in choppy waters off Besant Nagar locality in South Chennai.

Karnataka asked to give 4 tmc of water to TN over 15 days

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 07:25:39 +0530

The Cauvery Monitoring Committee on Wednesday directed Karnataka to release four tmc of water to Tamil Nadu over the next fortnight even as it asked the latter to make a written submission before the panel on issues it wants to be addressed. At a meeting of the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) here, Karnataka was asked to release four thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water to Tamil Nadu between November 1 and 15.

One dead, 5 crew members of ship missing

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 06:15:32 +0530

Cyclone Nilam has crossed the coast near Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu with wind speeds touching 100 km per hour. According to reports, more than 3500 people have been evacuated and taken to 19 relief centres. The Meteorological Department says it could intensify and heavy winds and rains will continue. A private ship has been grounded in Chennai. People have been advised to stay indoors.

Cyclone Nilam hits Tamil Nadu coast

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 02:17:24 +0530

Cyclone 'Nilam' on Wednesday intensified into a severe storm with extremely heavy rainfall expected over North coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry even as the weather department warned of extensive damage to huts, standing crops and power lines. The system would intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm and move north-westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast between Puducherry and Nellore close to Chennai by this evening, it said in its latest bulletin.

Cyclone Nilam to make landfall on Wednesday evening

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:20:48 +0530

Cyclone 'Nilam' is expected to make a landfall this evening between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, bringing in heavy rains in the region, with tide levels reaching 1.5 meters.

Cyclone Nilam nears Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh coast

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:39:21 +0530

As the US deals with Superstorm Sandy, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are bracing for Cyclone Nilam. It is about 320 kilometres south east from Chennai's coast and is expected to move to region between Cuddalore Tamil Nadu and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh by Wednesday evening. Strong winds measuring 60 km per hour have been recorded.

Coastal TN, AP brace for a cyclonic storm tomorrow

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 08:01:19 +0530

Coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh braced for a cyclonic storm that is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, as incessant rains hit normal life on Tuesday in Chennai. Authorities were put on high alert after a deep depression lying 500 km south east of Chennai intensified into a cyclonic storm and is expected to cross the coast between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, bringing in torrential rains in the region.

Cyclone warning halts port operations in Chennai

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 06:42:41 +0530

The Chennai port on the southeast coast has stopped cargo operations after a cyclone warning, a port official said on Tuesday. "Only cargo operations have stopped, not berthing," said the official, who requested anonymity.

Cyclone Nilam live tweets: Power, communication to be hit

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 02:08:28 +0530

Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are bracing for Cyclone Nilam that is approaching the coast. The Met Department, which has issued a cyclone warning, says it is expected to hit the coastline on Wednesday afternoon or evening. "Cyclone Nilam will hit the area between Nellore and Nagapattinam by Wednesday evening," IMD Deputy Director MR Ramanan said.

Depression intensifies into cyclone Nilam: IMD

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:03:40 +0530

The Met Department on Tuesday confirmed that the depression over the Bay of Bengal had intensified into a cyclone and that it would hit land by Wednesday afternoon. "Cyclone Nilam will hit the area between Nellore and Nagapattinam by Wednesday evening," IMD Deputy Director MR Ramanan said.

TN: Depression over Bay of Bengal brings heavy rains

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:40:35 +0530

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, which would further intensify into a cyclonic storm, on Tuesday brought heavy rains in many parts of Tamil Nadu, especially in coastal areas, prompting the government to declare a holiday for schools.

Cyclone fear looms over TN after depression in Bay of Bengal

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:39:20 +0530

A major cyclone fear looms over Tamil Nadu after a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, the Met office in Chennai said on Monday. "There is no cyclone alert. However, if the depression intensifies, it could turn into a cyclone," the Met office said.

Tamil Nadu moves SC against power shortage

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:11:43 +0530

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday moved the Supreme Court for directions to the Centre to supply electricity to it meet its power deficit of over 4000 MW. The state in its petition has sought that the Centre be restrained from re-allocating the entire 1,721 MW power surrendered during the winter months by the National Capital Territory of Delhi to any other state.

Chennai: Vaiko, anti-nuclear activists detained

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 03:46:34 +0530

Hundreds of anti-nuclear activists and leaders of different political outfits were detained in Chennai on Monday when they attempted to lay siege to the state secretariat demanding scrapping of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

Chennai: Protests against IAEA team's visit

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:54:18 +0530

Anti-nuclear activists in Chennai on Monday morning laid siege to the state secretariat, demonstrating against the India visit by a team from the international watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Activists showed black flags and banners to decry the atomic inspectors' visit.

Power woes: Tamil Nadu to move SC

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 02:37:06 +0530

A day after blaming the Centre for the acute power crisis in the State, Tamil Nadu on Saturday decided to move the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Union Government to reallocate power to be surrendered by Delhi government to it. A resolution to this effect was passed at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, an official release said.

Power woes in TN, Jaya asks Centre to step in

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 09:39:20 +0530

Tamil Nadu has been battling power cuts for almost 12 hours every day. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has now sought the Centre's help. Despite the state meeting 13 per cent of power from wind projects in 2011, this year, their capacity has dropped to a mere 150 megawatts.

Jaya has no right to talk of power situation in state: Karuna

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 07:59:27 +0530

Lambasting Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for faulting the Congress-led UPA and DMK for power crisis in Tamil Nadu, party chief M Karunanidhi said the AIADMK chief has no right to talk about it as her party led government "has left Tamil Nadu in darkness.

Alagiri's unhappiness only endorses my stand: Stalin

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 06:53:09 +0530

A day after Union Minister MK Alagiri, elder son of DMK chief M Karunanidhi, expressed his unhappiness over neglect of his supporters in organisational posts, especially Youth Wing, his brother and DMK Treasurer MK Stalin said it only proved his oft-repeated stand that there was no space for influence in such appointments.

Jaya writes to PM on power shortage situation in TN

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:26:22 +0530

Drawing the Centre's attention to the acute power shortage in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday asked it to reallocate to her state over 1700 MW proposed to be surrendered by the Delhi government.

Party feuds give me sleepless nights, says Karunanidhi

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 06:59:31 +0530

Upset over internal rivalry among party leaders, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Monday said such factional feuds made him "sleepless" as these affected the party.

Scrap medical entrance test: Karunanidhi to Centre

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 07:59:10 +0530

Opposing the proposed National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical courses, DMK, a key ally of UPA, on Sunday sought the Centre's immediate intervention to abolish the system of entrance test.

TN: Trust formed by Nithyananda dissolved

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 07:40:13 +0530

The senior pontiff of a 1,500-year-old Saivite Mutt, who sacked self-styled controversial godman Nithyananda as his successor, on Sunday said the trust formed jointly by them had been dissolved. "The Madurai Adheenam Trust has been dissolved in the backdrop of HR& CE department stating before the Principal Sub court here it was set up without obtaining its permission and the Mutt's objective was to take control and manage property worth more than Rs 1,000 crore," Sri Arunagirinathar, the 292nd head of Madurai Adheenam, told reporters.

Nithyananda plays down sacking, says he was going to resign anyway

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 11:13:18 +0530

Controversial godman Swami Nithyananda was on Saturday removed as the successor to a 1500-year-old mutt in Madurai. He faces several criminal charges, including rape. Nityananda was appointed as the successor at the mutt in August this year, but the decision had received widespread criticism, including from the Tamil Nadu government.

Nithyananda sacked as Madurai Mutt successor

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 09:19:19 +0530

Swami Nithyananda has been sacked as the successor to a 1500-year-old Mutt in Madurai. Nithyananda was sacked by a senior pontiff and is facing criminal charges including rape after a US-based woman and others alleged sexual exploitation.

HC stays non-bailable warrant against Alagiri's son

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 08:40:07 +0530

Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday kept in abeyance till November 2 a non-bailable warrant issued against Union Minister MK Alagiri's son Durai Dayanidhi in an illegal granite quarrying case. Passing the order on a petition by Dayanidhi seeking quashing of the NBW issued by the Magistrate Court in Melur in the district, Justice T Mathivanan also directed state Advocate General Navaneetha Krishnan to file the counter to the objections raised by the petitioner's counsel.

SC questions govt over nuclear waste at Kundakulam

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 07:47:04 +0530

The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that issues pertaining to health and environment are as important as safety of the Kudankulam atomic power plant and asked the government how the nuclear waste will be handled once it becomes operational.

Karunanidhi slams Jayalalithaa over Sethu project

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 02:27:52 +0530

DMK chief and former chief minister M Karunanidhi on Tuesday accused the Jayalalithaa-led Tamil Nadu government of adopting "double-standards" by opposing the Sethusamudram project in Supreme Court and said it was a "betrayal" of the state. "The AIADMK Government had made a written submission in the Supreme Court saying the project was not at all needed," Karunanidhi, a staunch supporter of the multi-million rupees controversial project, said in a statement.

Don't know why Durai is hiding: Karunanidhi

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 08:19:08 +0530

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK supremo M Karunanidhi on Monday said he had no idea why his grandson, Durai Dayanidhi, was hiding, adding that the government and the judiciary could proceed legally. Durai, the son of Karunanidhi's son and DMK MP Alagiri, is wanted in an illegal granite mining case.

Emotions should not stop progress: Russia Deputy PM on Kudankulam

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 04:40:02 +0530

Russia's Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin said that opinions on Kudankulam plant must be respected, but asserted that it was completely safe.

Chennai: Tribal painting exhibition to begin on Monday

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:43:16 +0530

Paintings of around 40 tribal artists will be on display here for a week starting on Monday and the organisers hope to see sales worth around Rs 10 lakh, states Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED) said in a statement.

Russia hints price may go up for Kudankulam III, IV

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:50:56 +0530

A day ahead of his talks here, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin on Sunday said Russia respected India's nuclear liability law, but indicated that the price of Kudankulam reactors III and IV may have to be renegotiated.

BJP govt committed series of lapses in Cauvery case: Cong

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 06:12:05 +0530

The BJP government in Karnataka has committed a series of lapses in presenting the state's case before the Supreme Court and Cauvery River Authority and is trying to cover up its mistakes by blaming the Prime Minister, who heads the CRA, Congress alleged on Saturday.

SC to hear TN plea on Cauvery dispute next week

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 06:54:13 +0530

The Supreme court has postponed the hearing in the Cauvery water dispute case. The apex court will now hear the Tamil Nadu government's contempt plea against Karnataka next week. This after the Shettar government failed to follow the directions of the Cauvery River Authority headed by the Prime Minister to release water to Tamil Nadu till October 15.

Cauvery row: Vaiko, MDMK workers arrested

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 03:12:22 +0530

MDMK leader Vaiko was arrested in Neyveli on Friday when he along with his party workers tried to picket the Neyveli Lignite Corporation office, demanding the public sector unit stop power supply to Karnataka, which has stopped release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Cauvery dispute: Is there hope for a permanent solution?

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 08:52:41 +0530

The Supreme Court will on Friday hear the contempt case filed by the Tamil Nadu government against Karnataka over the Cauvery water sharing dispute. But as both the state governments fight over the water, the question is what effect it is having on farmers whether there is hope for a permanent solution.

Cauvery dispute: SC to hear TN's plea against K'taka

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 08:25:15 +0530

The Cauvery water-sharing row between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will head to the Supreme Court on Friday. It will hear the contempt case filed by the Tamil Nadu government against Karnataka. This comes after the Jagadish Shettar government in Karnataka refused to release 9,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu despite the Supreme Court's order, citing storage problem at the Krishanaraja Sagar Dam.

SC notice to Russia on Kudankulam liability exemption

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 02:51:08 +0530

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the central government on a PIL challenging the exemption to Russia from any liability under the nuclear liability act in the event of any accident in Unit 1 and 2 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.