Tamil Nadu News
Heres why worlds largest skilling system has delivered marginal increase in skilled workforce
Failure of accountability: only about 4.7% of Indias workforce has received formal vocational training, up from about 2% a decade ago
Dense fog blankets Hyderabad on New Year morning; IMD explains why
Watch: India welcomes 2026 with prayers, festivities
Delhi BMW crash case: Victim could have been saved with timely care, says charge sheet
In a 400-page charge sheet, police alleged that the accused, Gaganpreet Makkad, deliberately delayed providing critical medical assistance to the victim
Watch: Zohran Mamdani takes oath as as New York City Mayor at historic subway station
Pakistan witnesses drop in terror attacks since Afghan border closure: report
The comparative data for 2024 and 2025 reveals a sharp escalation in terrorism and counter-terrorism linked violence nationwide, marking an increase of 862 deaths, or a roughly 34% YoY surge in violence
Will not bow before 'malevolent forces': CM Mamata on 28th TMC foundation day
The TMC steps into the threshold of a decisive election year, with the West Bengal Assembly polls barely a few months away
CBI court sentences directors of private firm to five-year imprisonment in bank fraud case
The case was registered by the CBI on February 19, 2002, against then Chief Manager, Andhra Bank, Mowbrays Road Branch, Chennai, and others
Govt. notifies February 1 as the end of GST compensation cess, start of new tobacco tax regime
In a series of notifications on New Years Day, the Finance Ministry announced the end of GST compensation cess, the increase in the excise duty on tobacco products, and the new GST rates on these items as well
Traffic police relocate Ashoka tree to ease congestion at Trimulgherry bus stand
Parking suspended temporarily at platform 1 of Secunderabad station
Descent into farce: On the Election Commission of India, the SIR | The Hindu Editorial
Ad hoc changes and poor implementation mar the Election Commission of Indias Special Intensive Revision of elcetoral rolls
Near record number of small boat migrants reach U.K. in 2025
Final figure yet to be confirmed; record of 45,774 arrivals was in 2022 under the last Conservative government
Volunteer in Iran's Revolutionary Guard reportedly killed during widening protests
The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Iran's theocracy as well
Elections in 2025: When the index fingers turned some tables
BJP pulled off magnificent victories in 2025 as it broke the winning row of AAP in Delhi, contributed to the triump of Nitish Kumar in Bihar, and opened its account in Kerala local body
Haier Teams Up with Paris Saint-Germain to Create Champion Experiences for Global Users
Amity University Gurugram Honoured with NEP 2020 Implementation Excellence Award (Gold Category)
Spirit first look: Prabhas and Triptii Dimri exude intensity in Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial
The film also stars Vivek Oberoi, Prakash Raj and Kanchana in pivotal roles
Tobacco stocks tank in early trade; Godfrey Phillips down 10%
From February 1, pan masala, cigarettes, tobacco and similar products will attract a GST rate of 40%, while beedi' will attract 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST), according to a government notification
Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies, will be held on January 15, 2026, and votes will be counted the next day
Plastic recycling unit gutted in major fire at Thamarassery in Kerala
Factory sources said no one sustained injuries in the incident. A pickup van was also destroyed in the blaze
Most anticipated Hindi films of 2026: Alia Bhatts Alpha, Ranbir Kapoors Ramayana, and more
As Shah Rukh Khan makes a return after two years with the bloody actioner King, and Salman Khan wears the army uniform in Battle of Galwan, the year is set for a star-studded run at the box office
Chess wars: Defiant Vladimir Kramnik sues FIDE for defamation in Swiss civil court
The exact cause of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditskys death is not known but in his last livestream, he talked about being under immense mental stress over the allegations levelled by Kramnik.
DGCA seeks explanation from AI for operating Dreamliner despite snags
Non-compliance with the Minimum Equipment List (MEL) for the flight operated on June 28 this year has also been mentioned in the notice
The Opposition leaders alleged that the returning officer showed bias in rejecting the nomination papers of Sena (UBT), MNS, VBA and independent candidates contesting from wards 16, 17 and 18
Bombay High Court bars BMC from deploying court staff for civic poll duty
Urgent hearing held at Chief Justices residence after BMC letters to court staff; Bench cites constitutional bar on poll duty orders.
Over 2,730 motorists booked for drunk driving across Hyderabad on New Years Eve
Two fatal road accidents reported in the Cyberabad and erstwhile Rachakonda commissionerates, though police clarified that neither was directly linked to New Year revelry
National Sports Governance Act comes into effect partially
The provisions being brought into effect relate to the establishment and governance framework of National Sports Bodies, including the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations (NSFs) and Regional Sports Federation
BMC polls: 32 seats set for straight BJP-Shinde Sena vs Thackeray Sena-MNS fight in Mumbai
Congress and VBA on Wednesday (December 31, 2025) rejected reports of a possible rift within the alliance after 16 seats from the VBAs quota allegedly remained uncontested by either party
Arms, large cache of explosives seized in Manipur's Kakching
Police said security forces are continuing search and area domination operations in fringe and vulnerable areas across districts
How did the Opposition fare in 2025?
INDIA bloc saw a gradual breakup electorally through the year as parties remain united only on its opposition to BJP
Tarun Garg takes charge as MD & CEO ofHyundai Motor India; first Indian in 29 years
Mr. Garg, with over three decades of automotive experience, brings in the right expertise to lead HMILs second phase of growth inIndia, the company said
Taiwan's President pledges to defend island's sovereignty after China's military drills
In the face of China's rising expansionist ambitions, the international community is watching to see whether the Taiwanese people have the resolve to defend themselves, Lai Ching-te said
Bird Flu Alert: Tamil Nadu To Step Up Surveillance Along Kerala Border
With a rise in avian influenza cases reported in parts of Kerala, including Alappuzha and Kottayam, authorities in Tamil Nadu have intensified surveillance along the border districts to prevent the disease from spreading into th
868 drunken driving challans issued on New Year's Eve in Delhi
Special enforcement teams were deployed across arterial roads, nightlife hubs and residential clusters to curb drunk driving, speeding, motorcycle stunts and other dangerous violations
The 10 most read articles ofThe Hinduonline in 2025
Taken together, the years most-read stories reveal what resonated most strongly with our readers
BJPs ascent to power in Telangana inevitable: Bandi Sanjay
Rupee starts 2026 on negative note; falls 11 paise to 89.99/USD in early trade
On the last trading session of 2025, the rupee settled at 89.88 against the U.S. dollar
Bitcoin set for first yearly loss since 2022 as macro trends weigh on crypto
After soaring earlier this year with the election of crypto-friendly U.S. President Donald Trump, cryptocurrencies, along with stocks, plummeted in April on his tariff announcements.
N. Vinay Hegde, Chancellor of Nitte (Deemed-to-be-University), passes away in Mangaluru
Mr. Hegde was the son of former Supreme Court judge late K.S. Hegde, and brother of former Karnataka Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde.
In One Year, VinFast Went From a Whisper to a Roar in India's EV Market
On a morning in New Delhi, the Bharat Mobility Global Expo buzzed with the familiar hum of India’s automotive giants. Visitors wandered between displays of combustion engines and gleaming show cars, the kind of scene Delhi has hosted for decades. But in one corner of the hall, the crowd slowed. Two premium compact electric SUVs sat under the lights, the VF 6 and VF 7, their sharp V-shaped signatures glowing long before anyone registered the name on the stand. VinFast has quietly climbed into the ranks of India’s top electric vehicle brands VinFast’s debut in India on Jan 17 of last year caught even veteran showgoers off guard. The company had brought right-hand drive versions tailored specifically for Indian consumers, a quiet signal that it was here with purpose, not testing the waters. Still, few in the hall recognized the badge. Amid the hum of announcements and clicking shutters, one visitor leaned toward a friend and asked, “Who are these people?” That question did not hang in the air for long. In the weeks that followed, a group of Indian journalists traveled to Vietnam to see where the cars came from. What they discovered in the northen city of Hai Phong reframed everything. “ I had no idea VinFast is such a big group ,” auto journalist Swati Agrawal recalled. “ I saw the factory, the manufacturing plant, and not only cars, even scooters, buses, electric buses. Everything is being manufactured in one place. Three lakh cars per year. This is not a small brand. ” Her reaction points to a deeper story. VinFast’s sudden visibility in India is not merely an export push. It is the latest chapter in Vietnam’s own industrial transformation, one that has accelerated quickly enough to catch even Asia’s seasoned automotive observers off guard. A 400-Acre Factory… From Nothing By the time the expo lights dimmed, the next act of VinFast’s India story had already begun taking shape in Tamil Nadu months earlier. To choose a location for its plant, the company surveyed fifteen sites across six states. Tamil Nadu, with its manufacturing-ready infrastructure and active support for green mobility initiatives, rose to the top. What happened next showed how the brand like to act. And it’s right there in the name: Fast. In late February 2024, when the groundbreaking ceremony began on a sun soaked, low lying tract of land near Thoothukudi, the site was still empty. By Aug 4, 2025, it housed India’s newest electric vehicle factory, a 400-acre complex with body shop, paint shop, general assembly, logistics warehouse, and supplier-ready zones. “ We entered India with nothing ,” CEO Pham Sanh Chau said at the inauguration ceremony. “ No land. No factory. No team. The only thing we had was a deep resolve and a belief that this area could become a leading hub for electric vehicles and auto components in South Asia .” He gestured to the plant behind him. “ In just fifteen months, we transformed this land into a modern, highly-automated factory .” When the first VF 6 and VF 7 rolled out that morning, they were the first VinFast vehicles to be made-in-India, by the hands and minds of Indian people, for Indian customers. “ They are a symbol of the aspirations and resilience of the Indian people as they reach for a better, cleaner future ,” Chau said. The plant is expected to create 3,000-3,500 direct jobs and several thousand more across the supply chain as auxiliary partners move into the region. Suppliers have already expressed readiness to relocate workshops near the factory, a sign of confidence in Thoothukudi’s rise as an automotive production base. In parallel, VinFast’s India team has moved quickly to build the retail and service backbone that can make or break an EV brand in this market. By end of 2025, the company had opened 35 dealerships, stretching from Delhi, Gurugram and Noida in the north to Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi and Hyderabad. Yet the most unusual part of the ecosystem lies in aftersales support. VinFast partnered with RoadGrid, myTVS and Global Assure with the aim of creating a full-fledged third-party service centers before the first customer deliveries. Global Assure will operate a round the clock helpline, roadside assistance and mobile service. RoadGrid and myTVS will handle charging, maintenance and diagnostics, including support in areas where VinFast does not yet have a showroom. For a country where questions about EV service often outweigh questions about EV design, this infrastructure may prove decisive. Financing, long a barrier for EV adoption in India, has also been addressed through agreements with major banks including HDFC Bank, Yes Bank, Axis Bank, and others. These arrangements offer everything from dealer inventory financing to 100 percent on-road customer loans, with bank officers stationed directly in showrooms for simplified approval. “ This is how you support an EV transition ,” one banker at the Chennai showroom launch said. “ You do not just sell cars. You build systems .” And in the months since customer deliveries began, VinFast has quietly climbed into the ranks of India’s top electric vehicle brands. Industry registration data shows the company already placing among the country’s top 10 EV brands, a notable shift for a name that was unfamiliar to most Indians at the start of the year. Its early momentum, built on steady deliveries and expanding visibility on the roads, has reinforced what many analysts have begun to observe. “ I love one thing about Vingroup ,” Swati says. “ They know what they are doing. And if they have a plant in India, people will think you are not going to just sell the product and leave .” She adds, “ In India, if you give good price, good range, and good service, the customers are yours. ” Why this first year matters The rollout of Made-in-India VF 6 and VF 7 has already begun shifting industry perception. In April 2025, ABP Live named the VF 7 “Most Awaited New Car,” praising its design and advanced features. At the Jagran Hi-Tech Awards later in the year, VinFast was named “EV Manufacturer of the Year”, and the VF 7 won “EV Disruptor of the Year”. “VinFast embodies the spirit of innovation and progress driving India’s EV transformation,” said Jagran’s auto editor Arjit Garg. He commented that the company has displayed a rare clarity of direction for a newcomer and a “people-first vision” that aligns with India’s long-term mobility goals. VinFast’s long-term commitment became even more visible on Dec 4, 2025, when VinFast signed a new MOU with the Government of Tamil Nadu to expand its Thoothukudi facility by an additional 200 hectares. The second-phase investment will add production lines for electric buses, e-scooters and charging infrastructure, deepening localization and strengthening India’s emergence as a regional manufacturing hub. For many observers, the expansion underscored that the company’s commitment runs far beyond its initial launch. With the factory inaugurated, dealerships opening, service networks activating and customers already booking, VinFast enters 2026 as a steady companion in India’s electric transition, intent on growing with the country. Indian visitors to Vietnam say the brand’s trajectory feels familiar yet refreshing. Piyush, a journalist and content creator, thinks back to the sight of VinFast cars filling Vietnam’s streets. “I can imagine something similar happening in India,” he says. “Maybe after five or six years.”
Washington grants TSMC annual approval for US chipmaking tool shipments to China
TSMC joins South Koreas Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix in gaining approval for shipments of U.S. chipmaking tools to China
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbapp sidelined with knee injury
Madrid said in a brief statement the France superstar had been diagnosed with a sprain but did not provide a timeline for his recovery
Major retirements in sports during 2025
From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli in Test cricket to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in athletics to Petra Kvitova and Rohan Bopanna in tennis, 2025 saw some high-profile sporting personalities retire. Here is a look at a few
Neuralink plans 'high-volume' brain implant production by 2026, Elon Musk says
Neuralink said in September that 12 people worldwide with severe paralysis have received its brain implants
Past, present, future: The dangerous path of distorted history
Like others of her ilk, veteran academic historian Romila Thapar has always relied on rigorous analysis and credible sources to write about the past and explain its ties with the present; in her new book, she has a conversation with Namit Arora on why history is misunderstood and the perils of learning about the past from WhatsApp forwards
New Year bank holiday January 1, 2026: Are banks open or closed today on New Years Day?
Banks will observe closures in select Indian states on January 1, 2026, for New Year's Day and Gaan-Ngai. While most banks will operate normally, account holders in Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, West Bengal, and Meghalaya should verify branch timings before visiting due to regional holidays.
Tamil Nadu RERA introduces a vital three-bank-account rule for real estate projects starting January 1, 2026. This system ensures homebuyers' money is strictly managed. Funds will be segregated into collection, separate, and transaction accounts. Builders must meet strict conditions for withdrawals, enhancing transparency and safeguarding investments. This move aims to prevent fund diversion and ensure project completion.
128 journalists killed worldwide in 2025: press group
The International Federation of Journalists said that across the globe, 533 journalists were currently in prison a figure that has more than doubled over the past half-decade
Here is a select list of stories to start the day.
Earthlife is made of space stuff, studies of asteroid Bennu hint
Analyses of OSIRIS-REx samples from Bennu show the asteroid carries ribose, glucose, amino acids, and nucleobases; the discovery also includes nitrogen-rich polymers and abundant presolar grains of supernova origin, raising questions about how the earth acquired lifes ingredients
New Year in pictures: World welcomes 2026
Sex systems drive faster mitochondrial evolution in many insects
The results of a new study show how the way a species produces its males and females can shape the path of mitochondrial evolution, revealing an unexpected connection between reproductive biology and diversity. The implications extend to how experts keep track of insect biodiversity
Macron wants to ban under-15s from social media from September 2026: reports
President Emmanuel Macron has often pointed to social media as one of the factors to blame for violence among young people
One security force member killed, two wounded in Aleppo suicide attack, Syria says
The attacker detonated himself while being searched by the patrol after arousing suspicion
Littered stretch of Kovalam beach stands in stark contrast to adjacent Blue Flag beach
Trump says he's dropping push for National Guard in Chicago, LA and Portland, Oregon, for now
The President has made a crackdown on crime in citiesa centerpiece of his second term and has toyed with the idea ofinvoking the Insurrection Actto stop his opponents from using the courts to block his plans
Fifty years ago | BARC isolates and purifies curium-242
U.S. military strikes three more alleged drug boats, killing three and possibly leaving survivors
The military said three people were killed when the first boat was struck, while people in the other two boats jumped overboard and distanced themselves from the vessels before they were attacked
Leaders wish CPI veteran on 101st birthday
A hundred years ago | New Governor for French India
State names awardees of Police Pathakams
AIADMK extends its deadline for applications
TN govt permits cops to issue prohibitory orders during unrest without waiting
Govt unveils places for online witness examination
Chennais housing market sales rise by 15%; buck national slowdown trend
3 Bawaria men convicted in ex-MLA murder move HC
Houses for poor in Telangana took shape in 2025
Housing dept to bring out policy for LIG and MIG
NTK leader ridicules crowds at Vijays meets
Fervour marks Vaikunta Dwadasi celebrations
Scores of pilgrims took a holy dip in the temple pushkarini
Govt allows state transport corpns to lease pvt buses
2026 assembly session set to begin on Jan 20
Andipatti a must for alliance: TTV
Chodankar voices stance of Congress
Firemen rush to put out flames at Anna Nagar
4 juveniles film attack for social media
Documentary filmmaker S Krishnaswamy passes away
Chennai set to get free cancer screening centre for women
GCC door-to-door drive clears 582 tonnes bulk waste in 12 wks
Man beats son to death over wedding being called off
CM asks functionaries, cadre to celebrate Dravida Pongal
Dy CM launches slew of projects under North Chennai Development Scheme
12 cheetah cubs born in MP's Kuno park in 2025; three of them died, total animal count at 30
Six cheetahs, including three cubs, died during the year
Child maintenance is a shared parental duty, not charity or punishment: Delhi HC
Rejecting the husbands arguments, the court held that a womans earning capacity does not absolve the father of his parental responsibilities
West Bengal gets its first female Chief Secretary as Nandini Chakravorty
NandiniChakravorty, who was in charge of States Home and Hill Affairs Department replaced Manoj Pant as the Chief Secretary who superannuated on December 31
Rashid Khan to lead Afghanistans cricketers at T20 World Cup
Rashid Khan has been named captain of Afghanistans 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka
Three elderly persons die, vehicles gutted in separate fire incidents

