MELBOURNE: Since the time it was announced as the host city for the 2032 Olympics, the road so far has been far from ideal for Brisbane and Queensland. Uncertainty over venues, spiraling costs and other predicaments have led to some confusion. With the 100-day review nearing completion, TNIE with more... Away from the hustle and bustle of the busy Brisbane streets - about 12 kilometres south of the city centre - Queensland Sports Athletics Centre is a sprawling sporting locality. Situated at the

NEW DELHI: The proposal for tableau of the Delhi Government for Republic Day 2025 was not approved by the expert committee. The tableaus from 15 States and Union Territories have been selected for next years January 26, told the defence sources. The tableau selection in the past has been drawing controversy keeping which this year the Defence Ministry has proposed a roll-over plan for States and UTs to showcase their tableaux. A three-year agreement was signed for 2024, 25 and 26 under which eve

Manchester City's stunning slump continued Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League. Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers at Villa Park consigned the four-time defending champion to a ninth defeat in 12 games. Pep Guardiola's team has won just once during that run. Phil Foden pulled a goal back for City in stoppage time, but it wasnt enough to spark a late comeback. City dropped to sixth in the standings nine points below leader Liverpool, having played two games more. V

KUWAIT CITY: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived here in the Gulf nation on a two-day visit where he will meet the Indian diaspora and hold talks with Kuwaiti leadership to strengthen the India-Kuwait friendship across various sectors. Modi is visiting Kuwait the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. His visit to Kuwait will be the first of any Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years. Landed in Kuwait to a warm welcome. This is the first v

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor were involved in a war of words over a 2009 dinner hosted by Puri at his residence in New York which was attended by Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros. Puri was then India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Shashi Tharoor had mentioned meeting George Soros at Puri's residence in New York. The ruling BJP had accused senior leaders in the Congress of colluding with Soros to destabilise the country. Puri claim

India's total forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17 per cent in 2023 from 24.62 per cent as per the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023. The forest cover has minimally increased, compared to tree cover in the country. Meanwhile, first-time trees grown under agroforestry have also been covered. The ISFR 2023 report recorded forest cover and tree cover was 25.17 per cent. The total forest cover was 7,15,342.61 sq km which is 21.76 per cent of the geographical area of the country

NEW DELHI: India's total forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17% in 2023 from 24.62% as per the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023. The forest cover has minimally increased compared to tree cover in the country. Meanwhile, first-time trees grown under agroforestry have also been covered. The ISFR 2023 report recorded forest cover and tree cover was 25.17%. The total forest cover was 7,15,342.61 sq km which is 21.76% of the geographical area of the country and the tree cover is

VIJAYAWADA: As many as 2,47,097 cases are pending in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, and 9,04,462 cases in the District and Subordinate Courts of AP. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal provided the information to the Rajya Sabha on December 19, in reply to a question raised by MP Parimal Nathwani. According to the Ministers statement tabled in the Rajya Sabha, 82,640 cases are pending in the Supreme Court, 61,80,878 cases in the High Courts and 4,62,34,646 cases in t

VISAKHAPATNAM: Several parts of the State are expected to experience light to moderate rainfall on Saturday, with thunderstorms and lightning likely at isolated places in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP) and Yanam. Squally winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, are forecast for NCAP, Yanam, and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) for the same period. Rainfall is likely in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Manyam, and other districts, including Vizag, Anakapalli, and Tirupati, amo

SRIKAKULAM/VIZIANAGARAM: Continuous rains over the past 48 hours have inundated at least 200 hectares of paddy fields in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts, causing severe distress to farmers. The stagnant water has discoloured both harvested and ready-to-harvest paddy, raising concerns among farmers about procurement. District Collectors Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar (Srikakulam) and BR Ambedkar (Vizianagaram) assured farmers that the government would procure all paddy, including the discoloured pr

VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada Central Crime Station (CCS) police arrested four members of an extortion gang on Friday and recovered Rs 25.57 lakh in cash. The gang had impersonated police officers and extorted money from a jewellery shop worker on December 11. According to NTR District Commissioner of Police (CP) SV Rajashekhar Babu, the gang intercepted the victim, Ramakrishna, near Prabhas College. Ramakrishna, en route to Chennai for a gold purchase, had missed his train and opted for a cab. Dressed

VISAKHAPATNAM: Thirty-one per cent of Andhra Pradeshs coastline is eroding, 44 per cent is accreting, and 24.9 per cent remains stable, according to a report by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR). The report, titled Management of Coastal Erosion along Andhra Pradesh - Shoreline Change Atlas of Andhra Pradesh, provides a detailed analysis of erosion and accretion patterns along the States 1,027.5 km-long coastline. The study, covering the period from 1990 to 2022, indicates that 318.

BENGALURU: The United States will open a Consulate in the city by January 2025, and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that his country is working to fulfil its commitment to open a Consulate in Bengaluru in the said period. The US had earlier announced plans to establish consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, Garcetti said during a session hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) in New Delhi. We are committed to opening the Consulate in Bengaluru, and we hope to make an announcem

BHOPAL: An MUV stuffed with bags containing more than 52 kg gold bullions (bricks) worth over Rs 40 crore and around Rs 10 crore cash was found parked at a desolate place on the outskirts of Bhopal on Thursday-Friday intervening night. The discovery of the vehicle at an open area amid a clutch of farmhouses belonging to rich and powerful people and the seizure of the unaccounted gold and cash in Mendori (Ratibad) area assumed significance as it happened during two raids one by the I-T departmen

As part of its pro-farmers stance since assuming power for its third term, the government on Friday approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for copra for the 2025 season. The hike includes a rise of Rs 422 per quintal for milling copra and Rs 100 per quintal for ball copra. Briefing the media after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, In order

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Friday to procure 155 mm/52 calibre K9 Vajra-T Self-Propelled Tracked Artillery Guns for the Indian Army, aiming to enhance long-distance offensive capabilities. The total cost of the procurement, under the Buy (Indian) category, is Rs 7,628.70 crore. It is part of the Indian Army's Artillery modernisation plan which will lead to the 'mediumisation' of the Arm. The new contract is part of future plans of the

AHMEDABAD: Investigators have uncovered a shocking insurance fraud case in Gujarat revolving around a man allegedly involved in 24 separate accidents in the districts of Panchmahal, Dahod and Mahisagar. Aslam Mohammad Chunchala was identified as the driver in all 24 cases. Authorities are yet to determine whether Chunchala was a willing participant or falsely implicated in the scheme. However, the pattern of medical insurance claims tied to these incidents suggests a well-orchestrated conspiracy

PATNA: The two-day Bihar Business Connect Investors Summit, which concluded on Friday, attracted investments worth Rs 1.8 lakh crore in various sectors, Bihar Industries and Tourism minister Nitish Mishra said. The minister said that the top officials of companies signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the state government after completion of two-day deliberations. Bihar has received investment proposals worth Rs 1.8 lakh crore, which is three times more than the Rs 53,000 crore last year

KOCHI: Alhind Air, a new player in the airline sector, is set to commence operations by mid-2025. The private airline, promoted by the Alhind Group, is expecting the first of the seven ATR 72-600 aircraft to be delivered in March next year. The airline, which will start its operations with Kochi as the hub, started its office at the Kochi airport the other day. Well initially start with Kochi as our only base. However, our strategy is to adopt the multi-base concept as part of expanding our netw

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Urban Commission, formed to guide urbanisation for next 25 years, has come up with a slew of recommendations including 25% reservation for youngsters in local bodies, formation of metropolitan planning committees in Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, strengthened early-warning systems to address climate-related risks, professionalisation of urban governance and more. The commission submitted its interim report to the chief minister on Wednesday. LSG Minister M B Raj

NEW DELHI: Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum (YYBM) to be set up in North and South blocks will have about 25,000 artefacts depicting the history of 5,000 years of Indias civilization on display in eight thematic galleries. Besides the cultural objects from National Museum in Delhi, the new facility will showcase antique repositories from the museums of other states. Senior officials privy to the development said that given the availability of large exhibition space in YYBM, it is proposed to put exhi

BHOPAL: Irregularities worth around Rs 428 crore have been detected by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in the Take Home Ration (THR) scheme in Madhya Pradesh between 2018-2021. The THR is one of the components of the Supplementary Nutrition Programme, which forms part of the Centrally-sponsored Integrated Child Development Services. The schemes main aim is to supplement nutritional requirements of children aged between six months and three years, pregnant and lactating mothers

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, as this was his first such review since the recent assembly elections that brought a National Conference (NC)-led government to power under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. According to the officials at the meeting, attended by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, senior officials from the Army, paramilitary forces, intelligence agencies, and the Ministry of Home

CHENNAI: As time races and the world changes at a rapid speed, a calendar urges us to pause and look back. These 12 pages occupy very little space on our desks but are extremely assistive. They help us keep track of important dates and events. What if, along with these advantages, the sheets also educate us on our Tamil culture, tradition and language? In 2025, it might be possible. SOL 2025 designed by the Art Brew Creative Company, a design and tech solutions company documents one Tamil word

CHENNAI: The special court for cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act has sentenced a 28-year-old man to five years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a girl in Chennai, in 2020. Special court Judge M Rajalakshmi pronounced the verdict recently, sentencing the convict to five-year imprisonment and slapping a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 10 of Pocso Act for sexual assault and one-month imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 for wrongful restraint under S

COIMBATORE: After a years gap, Bharathiar University (BU) has scheduled its 88th senate meeting on January 29, 2025. The university has called for questions and resolutions from members and the last date for withdrawal of questions and resolutions is December 23. The university also announced that the 87th senate meeting, which was postponed, will be held on that day. A senate member, T Veeramani told TNIE that conducting the meeting after a long gap indicated the administrations lethargy. He sa

BHUBANESWAR : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches across four locations in Odisha and outside linked to opposition chief whip Pramila Malliks late brother Khirod Mallik over the alleged Rs 231 crore bank fraud case. Sources said the central agency conducted simultaneous searches at three locations in Sambalpur and one in New Delhi during the day. Khirod was accused of swindling a whopping Rs 231 crore from various banks across Odisha and other states through his NGO,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: His years International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is celebrating Armenian cinema in its Country Focus section, giving audiences a chance to discover the rich stories of this small yet resilient northwestern Asian nation. Filmmakers Mikael Dovlatyan, Serge Avedikian, and producer Karina Simonyan shared their thoughts on the history, struggles, Indian connection, and future of Armenian cinema. Armenia has many important stories to share, remarked Avedikian. During the Sovi

THANJAVUR: The extension of the cut-off date for insuring crop coupled with the heavy rain forecast a week ahead of the revised deadline pushed the extent of samba and thaladi paddy cultivation insured in the district by as much as 70% in two weeks to put the final figure for this year at 2.43 lakh acres. A total of 892 revenue villages were notified in the district for insuring samba paddy cultivation under the revamped Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) scheme this year, and the cut-off

THANJAVUR: Since the onset of the northeast monsoon, paddy cultivated on 26,508 acres in the district has suffered damage beyond 33% in the heavy rains, a survey conducted by the agriculture and farmers welfare department in coordination with the revenue department has revealed. The survey commissioned to facilitate payment of compensation under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) to farmers who lost their crops points out that agriculture crops, including paddy, were inundated by rainwater to

Manu S Pillai Writer & historian How to Love in Sanskrit by Anusha Rao & Suhas Mahesh A translation of mainly Sanskrit poetry, it is full of beauty, humour, and occasional irreverence even. Many might imagine they know what Sanskrit poetry is like; this book challenges such preconceptions. Read it for a sense of wonder, for many a chuckle, but also to marvel at our literary riches. N S Madhavan, Writer The Menstrual Coup by Shahina K Rafique (trans. by Priya K Nair) In the growing corpus of tran

CHENNAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has moved the Madras High Court challenging a recent acquittal of three persons by a Chennai trial court in a 2004 case of export of anti-anxiety drugs to the US. In its appeal, a copy of which is with TNIE, the central agency contended that the court had failed to note that the accused were prosecuted not for possession of psychotropic substances, but for illegal export without proper valid medical prescription. NCB also pointed out that a bogus and f

VIJAYAWADA: Krishna District Collector DK Balaji has directed officials to ensure seamless arrangements for Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidus visit to Krishna district on Friday. The CM is scheduled to participate in multiple programmes at Ganguru village in Penamaluru mandal. His itinerary includes inspecting the paddy procurement process, attending a revenue conference, visiting the Rythu Seva Kendra, and inspecting Venkatadri Oils Private Limited Rice Mill. MLA Bode Prasad will accompany N

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) South Zone Commissioner directed the officials to crack a whip against building owners for deviation and unauthorised construction. Following the directions, the Executive Engineer of Chickpet assembly has listed 29 such buildings for demolition. According to BBMP officials, 29 such buildings with violations are from ward number 163 (VV Puram), 164 (Vidya Peeta) and 165 (Hombegowda Nagar). The Assistant Engineers and Assistant Executive En

BELAGAVI: A scam to the tune of Rs 260 crore has taken place in the power corporations in the state, Leader of Opposition in Council Chaluvadi Narayanaswamy has alleged. The BJP leader alleged that the Opposition was deprived of the opportunity to expose the scam in the House, citing technical reasons on Wednesday. Speaking to the media at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday, Narayanaswamy said that when an adjournment motion was moved in the Council, the Opposition was prevented from raising th

BENGALURU: The health department has flagged 26 medicines -- eight as spurious or fake and 18 as misbranded -- which are consumed for acidity, pain relief, cholesterol, iron deficiency, and nasal congestion. It has stated that these medicines have been produced in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Over a year, five pharmaceuticals have been convicted for violating safety standards. Twelve cases are in various stages of trial. Investigations are on to ascertain whether pharma companies us

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the loss of lives in a boat accident off the Mumbai coast and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased. Thirteen persons died and 99 others were rescued after a Navy craft crashed into a ferry off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday, the Navy said. At about 4 pm, a Navy craft undergoing engine trials lost control and collided with passenger ferry Neel Kamal off Karanja near Mumbai, the Navy said in a statemen

MUMBAI: Two passengers died and 75 others on board a ferry were rescued after a speed boat crashed into it off Mumbai coast on Wednesday, officials said. The Neelkamal ferry, with 80 persons and five crew members on board, was on way to Elephanta Islands, a popular tourist destination near Mumbai, when the speed boat circled it before crashing into it, a viral video of the accident shows. A local leader claimed that the speed boat belonged to the Navy, but there was no confirmation from the Navy

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has listed several major cases where the Directorate of Enforcement has from time to time attached properties of individuals and companies connected to economic offence cases. Replying to the debate on Supplementary Demands for Grants - First Batch for 2024-2025, the finance minister apprised the Lok Sabha Tuesday evening that the central enforcement agency has successfully restored properties worth around Rs 22,280 crores -- only the major cases in

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced the Sanjeevani Yojana, a healthcare scheme aimed at providing free medical treatment to senior citizens aged 60 and above. Kejriwal described the initiative as a key part of AAPs vision to prioritise the welfare of the elderly. He stated that the scheme would be introduced after the Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for early 2025. The programme will cover treatment in both private and government hospitals, ensuring accessible

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre whether it can exclude around Rs 120 crore from the Rs 132 crore demanded as airlift charges for rescue operations carried out by the IAF in the state since 2006. A bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Easwaran S said if the Rs 120 crore was freed up in this manner, the amount can be utilised immediately for the rehabilitation of the landslide victims in Wayanad. The bench asked the Centre to consider giving permission to tempo

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned until 2 pm on Wednesday following Opposition protests over key issues, disrupting proceedings in the ongoing session. Opposition MPs protested over issues including the One Nation, One Election bills and remarks made by Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha the previous day. Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday as Congress members sought an apology from Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks which they claimed were an insult t

IDUKKI: Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy on Tuesday ruffled feathers in Kerala after he asserted that water level in the Mullaperiyar dam will be raised to 152 feet. The DMK government will make this dream of Tamil Nadu a reality, Periyasamy told reporters after assessing the rain damage in TNs Theni district. He also said the TN government will take every measure to keep the dam safe and will not give a single piece of earth in Mullaperiyar to Kerala. His statements did not go

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The placement of illegal hoardings as part of Karuthalum Kaithangum a taluk-level complaint redressal adalat organised by the government in Thiruvananthapuram recently has landed the district collector in trouble. In what could be an open confrontation between two civic authorities, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation secretary Jahamgeer S has served a notice and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on District Collector Anu Kumari for having placed illegal hoardings. The notice was serv

VIJAYAWADA: Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh unveiled the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Policy 2024-2029 at the Tourism Investors Conference held in Vijayawada on Tuesday. The event, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers), marked a significant step towards revitalising the States tourism sector. Highlighting the governments ambitious tourism plans, Durgesh said, The main objective is to attrac

KENDRAPARA: Bhitarkanika National Park will be closed for visitors from January 14 to 22 for the annual census of saltwater crocodiles. Assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Bhitarkanika Manas Das on Tuesday said as peak winter, exposure of more than 50 per cent of mud bank and lunar cycle are suitable periods for accurate counting of the reptiles, the decision was taken to conduct the census from January 14 to 22. At least 22 teams comprising forest officials, wildlife researchers and locals

PATNA: In a major setback for political strategist-turned activist Prashant Kishors Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), two former MPs Devendra Prasad Yadav and Monizir Hasan resigned from the core committee of the party on Tuesday. Both sent their resignations to JSP president Sanjay Bharti and founder Prashant Kishor. They, however, did not disclose the reason to quit. Sources said they were underrated in the formation of the committee. Devendra Yadav, former MP from Jhanjharpur, had resigned from Lalu

VIJAYAWADA: Elaborate arrangements are underway for the smooth conduct of the annual Bhavani Deeksha relinquishment ritual at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada, from December 21 to 25. The ritual is expected to attract nearly 10 lakh devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other states. The NTR district administration and temple officials have intensified preparations to manage the large influx of devotees. Temple Execu

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday announced that it had carried out fresh raids at 21 locations in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). These actions were conducted as part of an ongoing investigation into operatives linked to an 'unlawful' betting website. The website, reportedly owned by Pakistani nationals, was also involved in the illegal broadcasting of Men's T20 Cricket World Cup matches. In an X post through its official

PATNA: In a shocking incident, a 12-year-old girl was raped and subsequently beaten to death by her close relative in Bihar's Bhojpur district. The victim's body was recovered from the accused's house late on Monday, triggering violent protests on Tuesday. The incident took place at a village under the Ara town police station area late on Monday when the victim had gone to the accused's house to borrow something. The accused raped her, tied her hands and feet with a rope and assaulted her brutal