Polling underway for phase 2 of Rajasthan Panchayat polls, faulty EVMs delay start at few booths
The polling began at 7 a.m. for 352 wards of 22 zila parishads and 2,197 wards of 124 panchayat samitis. In some places, however, it was delayed as electronic voting machines (EVMs) malfunctioned
Gotham Awards 2026 nominations: La Gradiva, The Invite and All of a Sudden lead with four nods each
The 36th Gotham Awards will honour independent cinema on November 30, with Olivia Wilde, Jesse Eisenberg, Jane Schoenbrun and Nathan Fielder among the filmmakers and artists represented across this years nominations
EC appoints 11 nodal officers for 2027 Manipur Assembly polls
Senior IPS officer Kamei Angam Romanus has been named the nodal officer-in-charge of the law and order and security plan, while IAS officer Hungyo Worshang will take charge of excise
CTI seeks ban on protests in Delhi till Deepavali, says business hit
The organisation said restrictions are needed to protect the business of around 15 lakh traders in the national capital.
Google begins rollout of app marketplaces programme outside the U.S.
The initiative, known as the Registered App Stores programme, allows rival app marketplaces to compete at a higher level on the Android platform
CTI writes to Rahul Gandhi again on INDIA bloc's November 1 rally, seeks meeting
In a letter to Mr. Gandhi, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said representatives of 20 markets wanted to explain how the proposed rally could disrupt business ahead of Deepavali
Dune: Part Three trailer: A plot against the God Emperor in epic showdown
The final trailer for Denis Villeneuves Dune: Part Three has been released, offering a closer look at Paul Atreides descent into tyranny, Chanis growing opposition and Robert Pattinsons debut as the franchises new antagonist
Jio Platforms debuts on stock exchanges at premium of 1,358 per share
Jio becomes Indias second-largest company in terms of market capitalisation at 12.5 lakh crore, replacing Bharti Airtel
Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Jocko Willink, the film is written by Will Staples and directed by McG
Cyclone Arnab: 609 Andhra schools turn into relief shelters
Schools in 16 coastal districts are closed, and 17,054 NCC, NSS and Scouts volunteers have been mobilised
The Tamil Nadu government has revised autorickshaw fares across the state for the first time in 13 years. Under the new rates notified on October 27, the minimum fare is Rs 50 for the first 1.8 km, followed by Rs 25 per additional kilometre. The revised structure also sets higher night fares, ghat charges and waiting fees.
Mudalur, Tamil Nadus first Christian settlement, stands tall with its magnificent church tower
Established in 1799, Mudalur was the first exclusive settlement created for newly converted Christians in Tamil Nadu. Some claim it was the first Christian village in India and Asia.
Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Iranian drama It Was Just an Accident arrested in Tehran
Mehdi Mahmoudian, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter behind the Iranian film It Was Just an Accident, was arrested in Tehran on Saturday, just weeks ahead of the 2026 Academy Awards
No Power Purchase At Rs 41 Per Unit: Minister Nirmal Kumar
Electricity Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar denied that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has decided to purchase power at Rs. 41 per unit.
Enter The Hindu Best Places to Work 2027 Awards and build a workplace where Indias talent thrives
Enter The Hindu Best Places to Work 2027 Awards and build a workplace where Indias talent thrives
The Iranian mischief-maker supreme rewires a revenge thriller into a blisteringly funny indictment of power, memory, and the absurdity of surviving a regime determined to silence him
The counting is underway in Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Jhansi, Bareilly and Gorakhpur
Nalini, once a celebrated actress in the film industry, captivated audiences with her standout performances before marrying Ramarajan in 1987. After tying the knot, she chose to leave acting to raise their two children. However, a troubling astrological prediction led to their split in 2000. After a hiatus, Nalini returned to acting, successfully reestablishing her career and leaving an indelible mark on cinema that spans decades.
The cast of Apple TVs upcoming show, Nocturne, talk about their experiences of adapting Lars Keplers Joona Linna crime series for television
The new ruling against the Palme dOr-winning filmmaker comes amid continuing legal proceedings in Iran, with the court also ordering the confiscation of his assets and imposing two-year travel and social media bans
Tamil Nadu increases autorickshaw minimum fare to Rs 50 after 13 years
The News Mill
When DMK flexed its muscle during Indira Gandhis visit to Tamil Nadu in 1977
On October 29, 1977, when Indira Gandhi visited Madurai, the DMK members, who were staging blackflag protests, threw stones, sticks at the former Prime Minister; in Chennai, two persons were killed when the police opened fire at the protesters who turned violent on Mount Road
TN curbs random checks on goods vehicles, orders intelligence-based inspections
Digital Desk | Chennai, Oct 28 (IANS) Tamil Nadus Commercial Taxes Commissioner has issued a circular directing officials not to stop and inspect goods vehicles without valid reasons, in a move aimed at reducing roadside checks and easing the difficulties faced by truck drivers and traders. According to the circular, enforcement teams will be allowed to act only when the department receives credible, specific intelligence that a vehicle is transporting goods in violation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws. The instructions mark a change in the departments vehicle inspection arrangements. The existing roving squads have reportedly been disbanded and replaced by flying squads, whose operations will be based on information about suspected violations rather than routine patrols. Under the revised system, flying squad personnel will remain stationed at the office of the Commercial Taxes Joint Commissioner. They will no longer move around roads, stopping goods vehicles at random, according to the account. Action will instead depend on strong intelligence relating to a particular vehicle and the goods it is carrying. The stated objective is to prevent indiscriminate inspections while allowing the department to respond to suspected tax violations. Repeated checks have been described as a major difficulty for truck drivers, who can face questioning at several locations during a journey. Even when the required documents are in order, such interceptions can place drivers and traders under considerable stress. The account also highlights the embarrassment associated with repeated questioning and presents the circular as an attempt to address these concerns through a more focused enforcement system. It invokes Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, which concerns citizens freedom to practise a profession or carry on an occupation, trade or business, as part of the argument against stopping vehicles without sufficient justification. The instructions are reported to have taken immediate effect across Tamil Nadu. The account describes the decision as a relief for traders, lorry owners and drivers who have faced frequent roadside inspections despite carrying the necessary paperwork. For enforcement officials, the requirement under the revised arrangements is a specific basis for intervention: credible intelligence about suspected GST violations involving an identified vehicle. The change is intended to make inspections more targeted and reduce unnecessary disruption to goods transport, with the department retaining the ability to investigate suspected violations when reliable information warrants action.
Tamil Nadu government revises auto-rickshaw fares in Chennai, other regions
According to a notification published in the government gazette, the minimum fare has been fixed at 50 for upto 1.8 km
Armed Guards to be Deployed in Tamil Nadu Prisons After Theni Jail Break
Following a jailbreak in Theni, Tamil Nadu will deploy armed guards in all prisons to enhance security measures. Armed Guards to be Deployed in Tamil Nadu Prisons After Theni Jail Break
OpenAI plans to buy Google's AI chips: Report
OpenAI in June unveiled its first custom AI chip designed with Broadcom, and said it planned to deploy the processor by the end of this year
Apple launches M6 MacBook Pro and iMac, pitches faster on-device AI
Apple said the M6 MacBook Pro delivers up to 30% faster graphics and up to 25% faster AI performance than its M5 predecessor
More than 100 people killed in Sudanese army drone attack on market, says Sudanese rights group
At least 113 people injured in the attack; many of those killed and injured are women and children, a rights group says
Rain likely in TNs Western Ghats districts today; temperatures may rise
Digital Desk | Chennai, Oct 28 (IANS) Districts along the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu are likely to receive rain over the next three days, while maximum temperatures could rise by up to three degrees Celsius in parts of the state and Puducherry, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai. In its weather bulletin, the centre forecast moderate rain in the Western Ghats districts. One or two places in southern Tamil Nadu could also experience light rain, indicating that rainfall across the southern region is expected to remain isolated. The forecast points to a variation in rainfall intensity between the two regions, with moderate showers expected along the Western Ghats and lighter rainfall at isolated locations in the southern districts. For Thursday, the weather centre predicted light rain at one or two places in both the Western Ghats districts and southern Tamil Nadu. The forecast therefore suggests lighter rainfall in the hill districts compared with the moderate showers expected today. The bulletin also indicated the possibility of light rain at one or two places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on October 31. Although the geographical coverage of that forecast is broader, the rain is expected to be confined to isolated locations. Alongside the rainfall outlook, the centre said maximum temperatures could increase by up to three degrees Celsius in some places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal through October 31. The temperature forecast indicates the possibility of showers, accompanied by rising daytime temperatures in parts of the region. The projected increase applies to some locations and does not suggest a uniform rise across all districts. For Chennai, the centre forecast partly cloudy skies for the day, with the maximum temperature likely to reach around 36 degrees Celsius. The citys forecast thus points to a warm day with partial cloud cover. Overall, the weather outlook combines moderate rainfall in the Western Ghats districts for the day, lighter showers at isolated places on Thursday and the possibility of isolated light rain across Tamil Nadu and the adjoining Union Territory regions on October 31.
TN prisons to get armed guards after 17 inmates escape from Theni jail
Digital Desk | Chennai, Oct 28 (IANS) Armed guards will be deployed at all central and district prisons across Tamil Nadu from Wednesday, following the escape of 17 inmates from Theni district jail, Director General of Police, Prisons and Correctional Services, Sandeep Rai Rathore said. The deployment forms part of a security overhaul announced after the jailbreak on Monday night exposed lapses in the handling of a reported medical emergency. Prison authorities are also reviewing security arrangements and preparing a revised standard operating procedure. Rathore said watchtowers would have armed personnel, who would be instructed to shoot at sight in the event of an escape attempt. Under the existing practice, guards stationed in watchtowers at most prisons in the State do not carry firearms. The department will also ensure that all prisons have functioning alarm systems. Additional security measures will be introduced after the security audit is completed and the revised operating procedure is put in place, he said. Acknowledging security lapses at the Theni facility, Rathore said prison staff had acted in good faith when alerted to what they believed was a medical emergency involving an inmate. However, their response involved a breach of the prescribed procedure for securing gates. Staff unlocked three gates and rushed inside to attend to the reported health problem. In doing so, they failed to lock the gates from the inside, leaving the route unsecured while they responded to the alert. An officer described the failure to secure the gates as a major deviation from protocol. The inmates took advantage of the situation, attacked the guards and escaped, the officer said. The account places the handling of the emergency alert and the failure to relock the gates at the centre of the security lapse. Although staff believed they were responding to a genuine health issue, the gates remained unsecured during their intervention. The measures announced by the department cover armed surveillance and alarm readiness across central and district prisons. Armed deployment at watchtowers will mark a change from the prevailing arrangement in most facilities, where personnel perform their duties without guns. While the armed deployment is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, further changes will depend on the findings of the security audit and the revised procedures. Rathore said additional measures would be implemented once both stages of the review were completed.
U.S., Cuba shouting match derails debate at UN
The row broke out during debate on a resolution calling for an end to the U.S. embargo on its communist-led neighbour, a non-binding measure which Cuba has put forward every year since 1992
Rubio joins Trump on campaign trail days before U.S. midterms
Donald Trump called Marco Rubio on stage at his campaign rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, remarking: Hes so popular
Tamil Nadus biggest jailbreak in 30 years: How cops tracked 13 of 17 escapees in forest using drones
On October 28, Indias weather forecast indicates a mix of conditions across several states. Heavy rains are likely in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha, driven by a cyclonic system. In contrast, the Delhi-NCR region could experience partly cloudy skies. Residents in these areas are advised to stay updated and heed safety guidelines as thunderstorms may develop.
Flavio Bolsonaro reaches U.S., say reports citing sources
Two media houses, each citing an unnamed source close to the matter, said Flavo Bolsonaro had arrived in the U.S. on October 27
Overcrowding, Security Lapses Exposed in Theni Jail Escape
A major concern is that all 17 inmates were reportedly confined in a single shared cell, allegedly in violation of the Tamil Nadu Prison Rules and Manual.
Here is a select list of stories to start the day
Landfall process due to Cyclone Arnab continues along Andhra coast | LIVE
Traffic on Ennore Expressway and other coastal roads in north Chennai and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu witnessedhigh waves lashing onto the land as a result of the cyclone
Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab begins landfall near Narsapur; Vizag battered by rain
IMD experts said the landfall process may go on for a long time, and they can indicate the tentative landfall point only after the process is over
Houthis claim attack on Saudi oil refinery, blasts shake Riyadh
Saudi Arabia, West Asia's largest economy, has suffered weeks of strikes from the Iran-backed Houthis against oil and civilian sites including Riyadh's international airport
Indias balancing act risks eroding Russias trust
New Delhis performative diplomacy could undermine its longstanding friendship with Moscow
Indias next investment cycle will shape its carbon future
Its future emissions will depend on what it chooses to build now and the technologies and standards incorporated into those investments
Small fish: on Operation Trident
While carriers of narcotics are caught in the net, big sharks operate freely
Noted dancer Sreedevi Rajan passes away at 84
Fouled waters: On Rajasthans river pollution
River pollution from industrial effluents indicates state failure
Alert auto driver hands over prisoner to jail authorities
Opposition slams TVK govt over Theni jailbreak
Fake emergency, flash attack & failed siren
A dead voter left on the roll is a clerical error. A living voter who is struck off loses their constitutional right
Section 163 enforced as stir for student polls at Jamia enters 16th day
20 detention buses deployed outside university; one of the gates used by hostellers to enter campus welded; students hold talks with varsity panel after failing to meet V-C, say demands still unfulfilled
Are coronary stents necessary?
There is a crucial distinction between stenting as a life-saving measure to medical treatment via stenting because a narrowing of blood vessels is seen on an angiogram
Singareni seeks Angul Collectors support for road laying to transport coal from Naini
TN athlete Dharanidharan eyes 80m mark after javelin gold
Women protests force Ladakh administration to discuss declaring region a dry UT'
Officials disclosed that this year, only one retail vendor was functional and the number of functional bars attached to restaurants offering retail sale of liquor had increased by 17 newly issued licences, taking the total to 40
ACB arrests Mirchowk inspector, home guard in 3 lakh bribe case
Inspector demanded 6 lakh to close case against complainants father, ACB says
40 FIRs over anti-SIR protests in Delhi; police scan CCTV footage to identify demonstrators
Cases include alleged violations of prohibitory orders, vandalism and obstruction of public servants; separate FIRs filed over alleged assaults on demonstrators
Theni jailbreak: 13 of 17 escapees caught after manhunt using drones
City faces extreme groundwater depletion with abysmal levels recorded in Bachupally and Ameerpet
Education should go beyond earning money, contribute to society: Tamil Nadu governor Arlekar
T.N. govt. revises housing loan limits for urban cooperative banks and credit societies
The maximum individual loan limit for UCCSs has been raised to 60 lakh for societies with deposits below 100 crore and 1 crore for those with deposits exceeding 100 crore
Two killed in separate road incidents
A sub-inspector and a school student was killed
Man held for stealing cars near Katpadi railway station
Special teams analysed CCTV camera footage and nabbed Stephen Raj from his hideout in Vellore
Govt sends inspection teams to engineering colleges to probe excess fees
Two ex-ministers quizzed by city police for derogatory remarks
Sub-registrar has power to deny registration of document: HC
Two escape from police station in Salem
State Highways to lay concrete-paved shoulders on Yelagiri Hills Road for safety of motorists
Highways officials have also identified the need to build a parapet wall at five spots on the stretch for safety of motorists
Minor girl gives birth to baby in hospital toilet
People should make health a priority, says Prathap Reddy
Three girls missing in Tiruvannamalai
The police said that as the girls parents stayed in Kerala for work as wage labourers, they visited home occasionally
Cyclone Arnab: heavy rain brings Vizag to standstill; civic agencies on high alert
Fallen trees, waterlogged roads and power interruptions add to disruption; bus services cancelled while beaches remain closed; Visakhapatnam district receives 147.9 mm of rain between 8.30 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Dont issue completion certificates to buildings in aquifer zones, HC tells GCC
IIT Madras to organise international symposium on microbiomes
Gangster C D Mani arrested after police intercept car
MTC bus rams nine cars near Madras high court
10 To 20 % Bonus For State Public Sector Staff
The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) would pay its group C and D employees only 8.33 percent bonus only with no ex-gratia payment and temporary workers in the civil supplies corporation would receive only Rs 3000 as ex-gratia, the press release said.
AIADMK chief Palaniswami slams TVK govt over Aavin price hike
DMK councillor booked over Karur stampede remark
Cyclone Arnab leaves parts of Visakhapatnam in darkness
Candidates push on with campaigns despite Cyclone Arnab disruptions
While some candidates braved the rain to continue their door-to-door campaigns, others used the weather-enforced break to meet community representatives, seek the support of professional associations and hold discussions with party leaders and cadre
Supreme Court needs transparent roster system, says former Judge Oka
Former Supreme Court Judge Abhay Oka was speaking at a discussion on judicial accountability organised by the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms at the India International Centre in New Delhi
Tamil Nadu Coir Industry Faces Layoffs Amid Export Slowdown, Seeks Govt Aid
Theni Jailbreak Puts Spotlight on Tamil Nadu Prison Staff Shortage
Prisons Are Overcrowded, While 15% Of The Posts Lie Vacant
Cyclone Arnab set to make landfall around dawn on Wednesday; A.P. cancels several flights, trains, brings 30,000 fishing boats ashore; Odisha shuts ghat roads, imposes transport curbs, and begins massive evacuation
Stolen Chola-era bronze idol of Kannappa Nayanar repatriated from Netherlands
The bronze was repatriated last week along with a collection of 11th-Century Chola-era royal charter plates voluntarily relinquished by Leiden University Library
Young javelin star Dharanidharan eyes breaching the 80m mark
Dharanidharan began his journey with the pole vault in Class IX before financial difficulties forced him to switch to javelin the following year
Giant waves hit commuters on Ennore Expressway in Chennai
Cyclone Arnab causes high waves in north Chennai, Tiruvallur
The Regional Meteorological Centre here had warned of rough seas due to thecyclone. The sea is expected to calm down by noon on October 28
Income Tax Dept. conducts programme for stress-free work
Two more sim box sites busted in Tamil Nadu; 10 devices seized
