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IMD Weather Update: Cyclone Ditwah is likely to bring more rainfall in several districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, the IMD has warned. The weather agency has also predicted more rainfall in certain districts of Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry. According to the weather agency, the storm has weakened into a deep depression for now and is expected to weaken gradually further into a depression by noon of Decemeber 1.
Chennai school holiday: Puducherry has announced the closure of schools on December 1 in view of the heavy rainfall due to cyclone Ditwah. Cyclone Ditwah has weakened into a deep depression and is very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts, the IMD said. Schools in Tamil Nadu were shut on November 29 but there is no official confirmation for December 1.
Cyclone Ditwah claimed three lives in Tamil Nadu due to wall collapses and electrocution, while Sri Lanka suffered a devastating toll exceeding 330. Chennai was largely spared the predicted fury, experiencing only light rain and winds. Significant damage to homes and crops occurred across Tamil Nadu, prompting calls for national calamity classification.
What do we inherit from the land that holds us, and what do we return to the skies that shelter us? In the ancient Indic understanding of prakriti, nature is not passive matter, but a feminine force expansive, intuitive, endlessly giving. It is this living, breathing force that anchors Where Earth Writes Upon the Sky, artist Seema Kohlis month-long solo exhibition, curated by Shaunak Mahbubani, is opening at Lalit Kala Akademi from today. Bringing together more than 30 works across paintings, sculpture, drawing, installation, video and textile-based pieces, the exhibition maps Seemas evolving engagement with myth, ecology, and the sacred feminine. While the show looks ahead, it also holds continuity tracing her artistic journey through works spanning two years and select earlier pieces. Most of the works have been created in the past one-and-a-half to two years, but weve also included older works to show continuity in my journey, Seema explains. Returning to Chennai after nearly eight years, Seema describes the exhibition as a turning point. Im very excited about this show. Our last collaboration with Gallery Veda was in 2017, and we wanted to bring something we havent done before, she says. One of the most striking elements of this presentation is her material experimentation, particularly thread work that transforms the canvas into tactile terrain. There are works in embroidery as well thread and embellishment on raw canvas...it has taken us a few years to arrive at this body of work, she adds. Across these works, Seema returns to the ecofeminist idea that nature is inherently feminine. Ecofeminism is not out of context. We are all familiar with the idea of prakriti being feminine. The environment around us is constantly creating, giving, expanding, and recycling. We are a product of this prakriti, she says. The idea of prakriti being feminine is not new. It is ancient. Weve simply forgotten it, and I want to bring that understanding back into view. Curator Shaunak Mahbubani, who has worked with Seema across three solo exhibitions, situates the show within a wider philosophical frame one that explores the tension and harmony embedded in dualities. This current body of work sits in the space of exploring the potent charge between dualities above and below, within and without, the earth and the sky, they say. The metaphor of the tree becomes the connective tissue, lifting the exhibition from the literal to the poetic. Trees become a central metaphor, generated at the meeting point of these dualities something splendid and fantastical. Rooted in the Khalil Gibran line that titles the show, the works unfold like meditations on the spaces between earth and sky, body and spirit, intimacy and vastness. For Shaunak, the viewing experience itself is a choreography. I enjoy working with multiple mediums because they create a dynamic experience for viewers, offering different moments of pause and engagement. Curation is about mediating between the artist, the artwork, and the public creating conditions for people to enter and engage with the work. As Chennai prepares to encounter this expansive body of work, both the artist and curator hope it opens space for reflection and deeper engagement. Seema notes that the exhibitions core lies in its elemental pulse: The lifeline of the show is the feminine aspect of nature, she says, emphasising the quiet yet persistent energy that threads through each piece. Where Earth Writes Upon the Sky, a month-long solo exhibition opens at Lalit Kala Akademi from today at 5.30 pm. The exhibition is open for all till December 28.
From Jasmine to Kanakambaram: How flowers in Chennai reveal caste, class divides
As the morning light filters through the doorway of Sujathas puja room in central Chennai, she kneels before the altar, arranging fresh malli buds and tulsi leaves with practised hands. Saraswati receives the first strand, followed by Kubera, Mahalakshmi, Vinayagar, and Perumal. Each deity has its place and preference. After gods are pleased, the remnant flowers go in her own hair. She favours the white flowers. But there are flowers she will never wear. The bold orange kanakambaram, for instance, vivid against dark hair, lasting longer than the expensive whites that fade by afternoon. She has never worn it. Not once. They say some flowers suit decent girls and some make you look local, Sujatha says. If you wear white jasmine or mullai, you are seen as respectable. If you wear kanakambaram, you are labelled lower class. A lesson taught since her childhood. In another part of the city, writer Shalin Maria Lawrence wears her flowers differently. Three mozham minimum, long, fragrant, and abundant. I cannot wear just one or two mozham. I need three or more, very long. She recalls her jasmine varieties like long-lost friends. Madurai malli is one of the best, you can see the quality, completely different from other mallis. Next to that, Velankanni malli is my favourite. Its almost greenish, like moonlight. But the flowers of North Madras carry different names and different histories. Working-class women from my area preferred kanakambaram and December poo. The latter is a light violet shade available only during Margazhi. Then there was kadhambam, the cheapest option, a mixture of leftover flowers. A bit of green tulsi, malli, and kanakambaram, like the Indian flag colours. Vendors and working-class women wore it, Shalin explains. She maps the flowers onto communities. Kanakambaram is usually worn by Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasi (DBA) women. I have never seen upper-caste women wear kanakambaram; they do but mostly only for Instagram. They wont wear any flower other than malli because malli is considered pure. Shalin admits to choosing kanakambaram deliberately for the cover of her upcoming book Pombala Panchayat because it reflects DBA working-class politics. People even call kanakambaram velakaran gappu, the flower of vegetable sellers, associated with working women selling groceries on the streets. The economics of flowers is clear. Malli, for North Madras people, always denoted a higher class. Theatre artiste A Mangai confirms this reading. Flowers are not merely decorative. There is a deeper politics behind who wears what. Dominant caste people dont wear kanakambaram because they think it belongs to a lower community. My mother never let me wear too much kanakambaram, Mangai recalls. Maybe because of this social perception. Religious identities layer onto the choices too. Shalin informs, For festivals, we use lily, but lily is seen as a Christian flower, offered to St Joseph. Now my daughter likes lotus for Buddha Purnima. In North Madras, during full moon, Buddhist communities buy all the lotuses. You wont find even one. The visual language of flowers too speaks volumes according to photographer Poongodi Mathiarasu. He says, Kanakambaram is mostly worn by working-class women, often paired with a rose, creating a perfect colour wheel combination that complements the skin tone of marginalised women. Colourism also influences the choice of flowers. The formula When Shalin worked in an IT company where many employees were Brahmins, she observed a different aesthetic. Married Brahmin women wore just a tiny thundu of flowers, never long strands. They said long flowers are only for weddings. Every day, they must put a little, for god and for identity. The formula became upper-caste identity equals small, controlled, cultured flower. Long, fragrant flowers equal immoral or seductive. If I wear a lot of mallipoo with sari, some men say I look like an item. In malls, if I wear kanakambaram, people stare. They think its ugly. But its a beautiful colour! Cinema has long reinforced these codes, casting flowers especially jasmine as tokens of seduction. Film critic Ranjani Krishnakumar, who has been examining floral adornment in Tamil cinema has found this to be true in her decade-old research paper too, but now sees the narratives shifting. In the context of marriageability, she notes the shifts in recent films. Take Veera Dheera Sooran, for instance. The wedding scene places pre-marital sex (non-chaste) and remarriage (immodest) squarely within the bounds of nativity, almost casually, without special drama around it. Youll see the female lead dressed as the traditional bride, wearing copious mallipoo, even as she isnt, by traditional standards, the ideal bride. Meanwhile, Nila, of Kudumbasthan, doesnt bother with any of that no sari, no flowers at her registrar office wedding. In another class, in Vidaamuyarchi, we see Kayal wear flowers at her wedding, but she is surely modern in that shes unlikely to be caught wearing flowers outside of social situations that especially demand it. Neither would Shriya of Kadhalikka Neramillai. Ranjani observes that in each of these stories, flowers are almost incidental. It is perhaps coincidental that each of these women then go on to break the boundaries of what marriage itself is. Flowers as signals In thousands of garment factories across Tamil Nadu, flowers carry additional weight. Writers Nandita Shivakumar and Nikita Joseph have documented how women workers endure punishing shifts racing to complete targets as high as 1,000 pieces daily, but with flowers in their hair. In their research, they observed that these flowers come at minimal cost. Temple offerings, children picking blooms before school, home gardens grown in repurposed paint tins. One worker, Lakshmi from Erode, told them: The jasmine flower scent helps with the headaches from the factory chemicals and heat. Its better than medicine, and we cant afford medicine anyway. The Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union has observed another dimension, the researchers note. Union organiser Muthumari explained to them: When a woman who regularly wears flowers to the factory suddenly stops, we know to check on her. Its often a silent signal that shes facing violence at home. Mangai confirms this extends beyond factories. In rural Tamil Nadu, certain flowers have even been used as a sign of domestic abuse, placed outside the house as a signal. What remains Mangai maintains her relationship with flowers on her own terms. I love flowers. They bring joy to the moment. They may wither quickly, but they are full of life right now. When she travels outside Tamil Nadu, the teasing begins, she says. Cinema stereotypes South Indians. Jasmine in the hair becomes a caricature. But I like wearing flowers, even if people tease me for looking too Madrasi. In Delhi and Bombay, friends would laugh. But I still do wear them. Shalins therapist recently gave her specific advice: restart buying mallipoo. She recalls how her uncle, who worked at Simpsons, where gardens grew thick with flowers, would bring her malli. He would bring mallipoo for me in the evenings, she says, adding how she would then string it with the neighbourhood akkas and paatis, using banana fibre. Its a whole mindfulness process, she says. Mangai also frames it anthropologically. Anthropologically, flowers were the first human adornment. The desire to be beautiful is an evolved human idea. Shalin, meanwhile, frames it politically. Flowers are used as weapons of seduction, which affects how women are treated. But they should only be used for our individual happiness. However, people also note that flowers are fast disappearing. Last year in Nagarcoil, I bought kanakambaram, but now in Chennai, its rare. Women who used to wear it have stopped. Even their daughters dont wear it. You wont see kanakambaram in Anna Nagar or the posh areas, you only see them near temples or local streets, Shalin notes. Sujatha has also noticed this shift. Back then, mothers wore flowers proudly. Todays kids arent wearing them like the way we used to do. They only do it for special occasions. Despite flowers disappearing on many fronts, one might wonder if something as small and seemingly simple as flowers could carry the weight of caste and class. But as Shalin correctly puts it, Hierarchy is in the eyes of the people who view them.
Blooming Thoughts: A magical world of words
Pink, Mango Rice, Flowers anything close to heart becomes a thought to delve deeper into, a subject to ponder upon, for the little poet, Amara Jain. While this nine-year-old marvels at lifes little delights, she also peeks into her inner world poetry lets her do that seamlessly. Her debut poetry collection, Blooming Thoughts, is a compilation of her unique perspectives raw, colourful, fragmented, yet complete. Amara has tried her hand at forms and structure too. Through amusing limericks, the flowy pattern of diamante poems, the rhythms of number poems, the fragments of acrostic poems, and the unexpected mix of spine poems, she has experimented with language itself. She mentions a fond acquaintance who encouraged her to try out these forms. While Amaras initial attempts were about wrapping her head around the essence of these poems, later it became a familiar path of exploration. I like writing songs, poems, and stories. Its a way of expressing my emotions, she says. Explaining about the writing process, she says thoughtfully, It isnt very easy for me to write, especially about something that I am not familiar with. It takes a while. From a warm personal touch to themes like her relationship with her mother and her love towards dogs, to unforgettable memories of cutting her long hair, Amara mentions the topics she picked to write about: My hair, dogs, my mom, my school, our India, a good deed I did, the colour pink. Donating her 28-inch hair was a deed that, she believes, had a deep impact on her life. She articulates the numerous emotions she experienced while chopping it off. While some of her poems are about intimate emotions, many exude the inquisitiveness of a child who sees the world with awe, without any tint of bias. Her recent trip to Japan, the flaps and flights of flamingos, the stories of blossoms the book has bits and pieces from her memory and imagination. Her mother Chetna, who has been a strong support system for Amara throughout her endeavours, expresses the joy of seeing her little ones perceptions. Her everyday conversations with Amara make her realise that empathy and compassion arent taught, but kids just learn them by observing the world, simply by being a part of it. She believes in quietly being there for her daughter and letting her soak in what fascinates her the most. This young animal lover, who is also the Winner of the 21st Century Emily Dickinson Award, wants to donate the proceeds to animal welfare. She says, I want to donate the amount I get from the book to the animal shelter opposite my school. The book is published by Book Leaf Publishing.
Citys secret spots turn safe haven for migratory birds
Children shortchanged as playground turns dumpyard
To preserve NDA ties, BJP high command acts against party handles targeting EPS
Village panchayats daily dumping ruins river Cooum at Maduravoyal
TN to set up advanced research centre at Taramani
AIDS Society of India calls for measures to achieve zero infections
Chennai Corporation registers 89,691 pet dogs
Stamp in honour of Obul Reddy released on his birth centenary
Man arrested for making hoax bomb threat call to Maduravoyal police station
South Asian Symphony Orchestra returns with a diverse ensemble
Five NDRF teams from Vadodara airlifted to Chennai
DMK claims credit for SIR date extension
Sai Sudharsan Struggles, Washington Sundar Shines: India's Shifting Cricket Landscape
Six months ago, Sai Sudharsan was tipped as India's next Pujara, while Washington Sundar was a squad member. Now, Washington has cemented his place as a top spin-bowling allrounder, potentially replacing Jadeja. Sudharsan, however, has struggled significantly in Tests, facing technical challenges. Both youngsters are dedicated, with fans hoping for their resurgence.
Rewiring Nippo: A founders legacy and a bold new charge
10% top line to come from crop insurance
Tambaram corpn schools to offer new sports soon
Treat those with HIV with dignity: CM
Illegal street parking clogs east entrance of Tambaram rly station
Cyclone Ditwah weakens, moves northward slowly along Tamil Nadu coast
For Monday (December 1), light to moderate rain is likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and PuducherryKaraikal, with thunderstorms and lightning at a few places. Heavy rain is likely at isolated places in Tiruvallur district, according to the RMC bulletin.
Elephants To Safely Pass Under Chennai-Bengaluru Highway Near Palamaner
The area has long recorded frequent elephant movements, with herds often appearing on the road after dusk: Reports
T.N. Forest Dept. to conduct tree census and green space survey in six major cities
Besides Chennai, the survey will cover Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Madurai, Tiruchi, and Salem
Cyclone Ditwah continues to bring more rains to TN, three killed
Chennai: Sharp showers triggered by Cyclone Ditwah continue to lash several parts of Tamil Nadu, while three persons have been killed in rain-related deaths, the state government said on Sunday. The cyclone is expected to move parallel to the coastline of northern parts of the state and neighbouring Puducherry in the next 24 hours, the Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
1st ODI: Virat Kohli's Ton, Rohit And Rahul Fifties Power India To 349 Against South Africa
JSCA International Stadium Complex: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma picked up right where they left off and powered the Indian men's team to a huge total of 349/8 in the first innings to post a powerful target against South Africa in the first ODI here at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Sunday. Asked to bat first, India sustained an early blow when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed in the fourth over off Nandre Burger. However, what followed next was absolute dominance by the senior duo of Rohit and Kohli, who have shared many big partnerships in the past and helped India recover from many crises. The stalwarts treated the Indian fans to precisely what they had come looking for, with the first innings being a perfect blend of all spices -- early dismissals, half-centuries, a magnificent ton, some resilience, plenty of runs, and back-to-back wickets to top off the dish. The Proteas bowlers faced a stern test when they bowled to Rohit and Kohli as the top-order pair stitched a brilliant 136-run partnership for the second wicket. After a wicket in the fourth over, the visitors got a respite very late, only in the 22nd over when all-rounder Marco Jansen trapped Rohit Sharma lbw. Kohli started the celebrations with a half-century, and Rohit joined him soon as the duo capped off some milestones during their outing. Rohit was dismissed shortly after he broke Shahid Afridis record to become the cricketer with the most ODI sixes as the opener walked back, scoring 57 runs off 51 deliveries. That brought Ruturaj Gaikwad to the crease as the Chennai Super Kings captain looked to seize the opportunity while playing an ODI after two long years. However, he was stunned by his CSK teammate Dewald Brevis, who took a spectacular catch, out of the blue, to cut short the 28-year-olds innings. Washington Sundar started well and found the gaps at regular intervals as he proved to be an able partner to Kohli, but the all-rounders scratchy stay at the crease ended in the 31st over by Ottneil Baartman. KL Rahul then played a captains knock and went on to share a crucial 76-run stand with Kohli as the two anchored the innings. In the meantime, Kohli got to a magnificent century, his 52nd in the format and 83rd overall. After reaching the three-figure mark, Kohli charged up and hit Prenelan Subrayen for two fours and a couple of sixes, adding 20 runs to his name in no time. Rahul joined him in the power-hitting, and the two made merry of the conditions on offer as the opposition bowlers struggled. While the No. 3 batter looked to complete the innings unbeaten, his knock came to an end in the 43rd over when Ryan Rickelton took a fine catch while running towards cover. After Kohlis dismissal, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul added 65 runs for the sixth wicket, but the end of their partnership triggered a mini collapse in the final few deliveries of the innings. While Jansen dismissed Rahul on the penultimate ball of the 49th over, Corbin Bosch picked Jadeja and Arshdeep on the fourth and fifth balls of the last over. Just like that, the Men in Blue dropped from 329/5 in 48 overs to 349/8 at the end of the innings, posting a 350-run target for the Proteas to chase. After Kohlis dismissal, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul added 65 runs for the sixth wicket, but the end of their partnership triggered a mini collapse in the final few deliveries of the innings. While Jansen dismissed Rahul on the penultimate ball of the 49th over, Corbin Bosch picked Jadeja and Arshdeep on the fourth and fifth balls of the last over. Also Read: Live Cricket Score India 349/8 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 135, KL Rahul 60; Ottneil Baartman 2-60, Nandre Burger 2-65) against South Africa Article Source: IANS
A.R. Rahman to inaugurate Music Academys 99th annual festival
The Academy has long debated the importance of film music and its appeal to the general public and connoisseurs. This year marks the 250th anniversary of Muthuswami Dikshitar, one of the trinities of Carnatic music
Chennais housing market has the lowest price appreciation among top cities across categories
When demand is not as high as other cities, prices are bound to remain under check and not see the same kind of appreciation as other cities, say experts
Indian swiftlet makes a surprise visit to Adyar estuary in Chennai
A month after it was sighted at Adyar Estuary, the bird has been identified as an Indian edible-nest swiftlet; this is the first record of the bird in Chennai
A month after it was sighted at Adyar Estuary, the bird has been identified as an Indian edible-nest swiftlet; this is the first record of the bird in Chennai
As many as 16 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and 12 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been currently deployed in coastal districts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for several districts across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, including Chennai, for the next three hours on Sunday till 10 am, warning of light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning as Cyclone Ditwah continues to influence weather conditions along the country's east coast. Red alert has also been issued in some districts of Tamil Nadu and an orange alert for heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning. The district administration has placed disaster response teams on standby. The continuous downpour has also led to paddy fields being submerged in parts of many districts, raising concerns about potential crop damage.
Gang posing as cops abducts real estate firm staffer in Chennai, flees with Rs 40 lakh
CHENNAI: A 55-year-old employee of a Tiruchy-based real estate firm was allegedly abducted and robbed of Rs 40 lakh by a four-member gang posing as anti-drug police personnel near Vandalur on Friday. The gang later dumped him near Potheri and fled with the cash. According to the police, the victim, Saravanakumar, was sent to Chennai to collect Rs 40 lakh from a contact in Mannadi. After receiving the money on Anna Salai, he boarded a TNSTC government bus bound for Tiruchy to return with the cash. When the bus reached Vandalur, two men attempted to snatch his bag. As he raised an alarm, the bus conductor intervened. The duo then claimed that they were police officers and accused him of transporting ganja. Under the pretext of an inquiry, they forced him to alight the bus and get into a car, where two more men were waiting, sources said. Inside the car, the gang threatened him at knifepoint, took the money and abandoned him near Potheri, sources added. Following Saravanakumars complaint, police teams have begun examining CCTV footage of the areas to identify the suspects and trace the stolen cash. Further investigation is under way.
Date of death unavailable, deceased voters in Chennai marked permanently shifted
CHENNAI: With one-day special electors help desks conducted on Saturday at 947 polling booths and high-rise buildings across 16 Assembly constituencies in the city, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) said that they continue to face difficulties in processing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) forms related to shifted residents, as well as deceased voters. Speaking to TNIE, BLOs said that though relatives reported the deaths, many are unaware of the exact date of death and did not possess any supporting documents such as death certificates. As a result, BLOs said they have been compelled to classify such individuals whose deaths are confirmed, but dates remain unknown as permanently shifted during the enumeration phase of the roll revision as the mobile app they use did not allow them to mark a voter as deceased without mentioning the date. A BLO in the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Assembly constituency said, In my booth alone, 120 voters were identified as deceased, but relatives of only about 10 of them could recall the exact date of death. Without this information, we cannot update the BLO app to mark the voter as deceased. Keeping these unprocessed forms also leads to confusion, so we have begun classifying such cases as permanently shifted. The BLO further said that the booth includes several residents who were relocated to Kannagi Nagar, Semmencherry, and Perumbakkam Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements. Many of these residents collected the forms but have not returned them, amounting to more than 250 pending forms. Another 100150 forms remain undistributed because Im unable to trace those shifted residents, she added. Another BLO said that in her booth, 50 voters were identified as deceased, but relatives of only six could recall the date of death, leaving the remaining 44 cases to be classified as permanently shifted. The BLOs also expressed concerns over mounting workload, noting that many forms still need to be distributed or collected. In another booth, nearly 100 forms remain undistributed. Despite the special help desk being set up on Saturday, about 97 voters are yet to collect their forms, the official said.
One admitted to hospital as sanitary workers hunger strike enters Day 13
CHENNAI: One of the four sanitary workers, who were staging an indefinite hunger strike at their associations office in Ambattur for the 13th consecutive day, was admitted to the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital on Saturday morning after she experienced giddiness, high blood pressure and severe stomach pain. The four workers Jenova, Bharathi, Vasanthi and Geetha went on the hunger strike demanding reinstatement of their jobs directly under the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). While Jenova (52) remains under medical observation, the other three workers continued their fast, refusing to take any food. Seeking the direct intervention of Chief Minister MK Stalin in the matter, the workers expressed shock that despite one of the protestors falling ill while demanding the job she had held for years, neither GCC officials nor ruling political representatives visited them. Over 30 sanitary workers also staged a protest outside the Kilpauk Government Hospital, condemning the inaction of government officials. Speaking to TNIE, Jenova said, I am suffering from severe stomach pain. The others are still on hunger strike. We are only requesting that officials meet us and address our demands, as our livelihoods have been completely affected.
Drunk youth hurls petrol bomb at Guindy apartment, arrested
CHENNAI: A 25-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly hurling a crude petrol bomb into an apartment complex in Guindy during the early hours of the day. The accused was identified as R Vijaya Prabhakaran of Guindy, who installs false ceilings for a living. According to police, Vijaya Prabhakaran entered the apartment premises allegedly under the influence of alcohol, carrying a liquor bottle filled with petrol and hurled it before fleeing. The bottle landed on a car belonging to Ram Nithish, an engineer from Madurai employed in the city. The Molotov cocktail exploded near the right rear-view mirror, sending flames across the sides of the vehicle. The right wheel was completely gutted in the fire, which was soon put out by security staff and residents. Following a complaint from Nithish, Guindy police examined CCTV footage and traced the suspect. Police said Vijaya Prabhakaran, who lives alone, is addicted to alcohol and drugs and had also thrown stones into the same apartment complex last Saturday. However, no complaint was lodged at that time. He was arrested, produced before a magistrate, and remanded in judicial custody.
Cyclone Ditwah nears Tamil Nadu coast, 54 flights cancelled at Chennai airport: 10 points
Cyclone Ditwah is influencing east coast weather, prompting a yellow alert for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, including Chennai. As many as 54 flights have been cancelled at the Chennai Airport with Air India issuing an advisory for passengers. The IMD has warned of heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.
Accused in Manorama murder gets life term
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vanchiyoor court on Saturday sentenced Adam Ali, a native of Bengal, to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 in the Keshavadasapuram Manorama murder case. The court found that he strangled 70-year-old Manorama and dumped her body in a well near her house in 2022. The verdict came after dramatic scenes in the courtroom earlier in the day. Moments after he was pronounced guilty, Adam Ali ran out of the courtroom. Lawyers and police officers chased him and caught him outside the court premises. The escape attempt occurred just before the court was to begin hearing arguments on sentencing at 2 pm. As per the investigation, Adam had been working as a domestic help at the neighbouring house and often visited Manoramas home to drink water. Familiar with him, she would let him in without suspicion. The police said he strangled her, stole her jewellery and carried the body out of the house. CCTV footage proved decisive in the probe. The visuals showed him carrying the body to an adjacent plot, dragging it to the edge of a well, tying stones to the legs and pushing it in to hide the crime. This footage led the police to confirm the murder. Then 21 years old, he had boarded a train out of the state but was intercepted by the Chennai RPF, who handed him over to the Kerala Police. The investigation was led by then Medical College Police Station SHO Harilal.
With 27 leaf-litter bins, this neighbourhood in Chennai was ready for Cyclone Ditwah
After Ditwah retreats and the gust ceases, the fallen leaves on five streets in Kotturpuram will not leave those streets, but be deposited in 27 leaf litter bins and allowed to turn into compost. A gardener would water the leaf litter periodically to aid the composting process. When the compost is ready, it will be distributed to residents, who will use it for their plants thereby closing the loop
The analysis is based on the annual average Air Quality Index (AQI) data of 11 cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam. Read here to know details
Cyclone Ditwah Likely To Make Landfall Today; TN, Puducherry & Andhra On Red Alert As Storm Nears
Cyclone Ditwah Updates: The Chennai airport cancelled 54 flights on Saturday and has announced 47 cancellations for Sunday including 36 domestic and 11 international.
Cyclone Ditwah: IMD issues red alert for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry; top 10 developments
Cyclone Ditwah intensifies, prompting a red alert for northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is anticipated in several districts. Authorities urge residents to stay indoors and fishermen to avoid the sea. Air India warns of flight disruptions. Sri Lanka has already reported significant destruction and casualties.
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: After delta, south coastal districts, Ditwah to batter north T.N.
14 NDRF teams deployed in Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, and Mayiladuthurai; additional teams allocated for Puducherry and Chennai
Residents flag rising congestion on KNK Road, illegal pavement parking persists
The Chennai Corporation had proposed a multilevel car parking on KNK Road in May 2024
Sekarbabu reviews progress of projects in north Chennai
The work is being carried out at a cost of 46.50 crore by CMDA under the North Chennai Development Programme.
Bawaria gang and the 2005 murder of an AIADMK MLA in Tamil Nadu
Twenty years ago, dacoits struck at a bungalow off a highway near Chennai and killed one of its occupants, K. Sudarsanam, a sitting MLA. They attacked other members of the house brutally and fled with the loot. Investigators later realised that the gang had committed a rash of robberies across a vast territory in Tamil Nadu, stretching to the borders of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. A Chennaicourt last week convicted three members of the Bawariagang responsible for the daring robberies and sentenced them to several life terms in prison. R. Sivaramanrecounts a shocking crime spree
BT.N.s education system is poor, says Anbumani
In a statement, he said that large number of candidates who appeared in last years competitive exams for Graduate Teachers and Secondary Grade Teachers had also failed the Tamil language paper.
NHAI leaves Surapet toll plaza a mess with broken roofs, vandalized toilets
City doctors save twins who shared single placenta
Realtors want govt to stop enforcement of grid of roads plan
Cyclone Ditwah: Storm may weaken, but city will still get heavy rain
Cyclonic storm Ditwah is bringing rain to south Tamil Nadu, with intense showers expected for the north, including Chennai, this weekend. While the storm is forecast to weaken, it may still cause widespread heavy rainfall.
Chandrayaan-4 to take off in 2028, says ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan
Self-financing medical colleges in TN to get more PG seats for 2025
Cyclone slows SIR form collection
City health systems brace for hike in fever cases
Turtle nesting begins on grim note; 10 found dead this week
Stalkers death penalty gets commuted to 20 years in jail
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Indian airlines complete software upgrade for over 90 per cent of 338 affected A320 family planes
NEW DELHI: IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express on Saturday started carrying out software upgrade of A320 family planes to address a potential flight control issue, and requisite modifications have been done for over 90 per cent of the affected 338 aircraft, an exercise that also resulted in delays and some flight cancellations. According to the latest data from the aviation regulator DGCA, IndiGo and Air India did not cancel any flights, while Air India Express cancelled four flights due to the system modification process. Flight delays have been 60-90 minutes at various airports, sources said. On Friday, Airbus said intense solar radiation might corrupt data critical to flight controls in a significant number of A320 family aircraft and that the software changes required to fix the issue would lead to operational disruptions. As many as 338 A320 family aircraft operated by Indian airlines require the software upgrade to address a potential issue related to flight controls, and modifications have been carried out in over 80 per cent of the affected fleet, according to DGCA data. The software upgrades have been completed for 270 A320 family planes out of the total 338 aircraft, as per the data available with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) till 5.30 pm on November 29. A total of 200 IndiGo planes have been affected, and software upgrades have been completed for 184 of them, while in the case of Air India, 113 aircraft have been impacted and upgrades have been done for 69 of them, DGCA data showed. In the case of Air India Express, 25 planes have been impacted, and software upgrades have been completed for 17 aircraft as of 5.30 pm, according to data. The sources said that so far over 90 per cent of the affected planes have undergone upgradation. Meanwhile, IndiGo said all 200 A320 fleet aircraft have now been fully updated and compliant as required. With the completion of this technical requirement, every aircraft now operates with the latest approved configuration, and we continue to monitor performance closely as part of our routine safety procedures, the airline said in a post on X at 11.02 pm. Travel Update We are pleased to share a completion update on the mandatory Airbus system enhancement across our A320-family fleet. All 200 aircraft have now been fully updated and compliant as required. This programme involved a carefully coordinated sequence of work, with our IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) November 29, 2025 The airline said that there was zero cancellation of flights due to the updation. In a post on X at 10.17 pm, Air India said it has successfully completed the reset on over 90 per cent of its operating A320 family aircraft that were impacted by EASA and Airbus' requirement for a software realignment. An official said Air India Express has completed the upgradation for 22 out of the 25 impacted aircraft. The software upgrades are being undertaken at the airlines' bases in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata. Software upgrades on all affected planes are to be completed by 5.29 am on November 30. #UPDATE Air India has successfully completed the reset on over 90% of its operating A320 family aircraft that were impacted by EASA and Airbus requirement for a software realignment. We expect to cover the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA, with safety Air India (@airindia) November 29, 2025 The DGCA on Saturday issued an Airworthiness Directive to airlines asking Indian operators to carry out the requisite software upgrades immediately. This followed Airbus issuing an alert to operators globally and the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) coming out with an Emergency Airworthiness Directive regarding the potential issue. On Friday, EASA said Airbus asked airline operators to install a serviceable Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC) in the impacted aircraft. ELAC is for flight controls. IndiGo, which operates over 2,300 flights daily, said that no flights have been cancelled as a result of the checks carried out on A320 family planes, but a few flights may experience minimal delays. There have been no cancellations due to the task, and there is no major impact on schedule integrity across its network. However, some flights may be slightly delayed or rescheduled, Air India said in the morning. Most of the nearly 6,000 affected aircraft worldwide need software upgrades, while some might require hardware realignment. There are over 8,100 A320 family planes in service worldwide. These include A319s, A320 ceos and neos, and A321 ceos and neos, data from aviation analytics company Cirium showed. Former pilot Ehsan Khalid told PTI Videos that ELACs are the brain and nervous system of the aircraft, and the software problem with one of the ELACs is significant. When the pilot moves the control forward, it will cause the aircraft to pitch down and when it is moved backward, then the plane pitches down. This particular movement is done by pilot control and if that happens on its own, then there is a problem, he said. On October 30, he said a JetBlue aircraft experienced an uncommanded pitch down for seven seconds, which caused the aircraft to lose 100 feet and injured more than 15 people. At 35,000 feet, neither a loss of 100 feet nor seven seconds is critical. But if you remember the Ahmedabad crash, it happened during take-off, and seven seconds would have been enough to cause a catastrophic end. So humanity has been lucky this time. The aircraft manufacturer has openly acknowledged a software problem and has said it will fix it, Khalid said. IndiGo, in a statement, said software upgrades have been completed for 160 of the 200 impacted A320 family planes. We are pleased to confirm that the required actions have already been completed on 160 aircraft by 12:00 IST, and inspections on the remaining aircraft are progressing well and will be completed within the timeline, the airline said. We have already completed the reset on over 40 per cent of our aircraft that are impacted by this, and are confident of covering the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA, Air India said in a post on X in the morning. On Friday, Airbus said an analysis of a recent event involving an A320 family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in service which may be impacted, it had said in a release. Airbus acknowledged that these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions for passengers and customers.
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