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Over 980 booked for drunk driving
Most offenders recorded Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels between 35 mg and 200 mg per 100 ml
Former KPCC chief feels that candidate selection should not be left to the whims of individual leaders. He says differences among top leaders would dampen the spirits of grassroots-level workers and hence they should be resolved at the earliest
Kerala local body polls: Echoes of landslide in Meppadis electioneering
Survivors of the 2024 tragedy will return from various parts of Wayanad, where they now live in rented houses, to cast their votes. As the polls approach, we focus on candidates themselves, not their parties, because none of them seems any different, says a survivor
Iberia says customer data 'compromised' but no sign of fraudulent use
Iberia said the compromised information included names, loyalty card membership and contact details, but no passwords nor bank card information
AI-assisted shopping is the talk of the holiday shopping season
Major retail chains and tech companies are offering new or updated artificial intelligence tools in time for the holiday shopping season
NIA raids eight locations in Kashmir in 'white-collar terror' module case
The NIA teams conducted searches at eight locations in Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts of Kashmir
How Pakistans judiciary is being undermined | Explained
Why has the 27th amendment created a new Federal Constitutional Court? Does it curtail the role and powers of Pakistans Supreme Court? What did the 26th amendment mandate? Has the judiciary and the executive faced off before? What is the way forward?
Know your English | What does delulu mean?
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.
Our minds gaslight us into thinking climate change isnt a big deal
Even though science tells us we are on track for catastrophic 2.5-3C warming by centurys end, in the back of our minds we think maybe its going to be fine, says RachitDubey, assistant professor, University of California
How will Meta implement Australias looming under-16 social media ban?
Australia-based users under the age of 16 will be banned from Metas social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads from December 10
Tamil Nadu Man Kills Wife, Takes Selfie With Body, Posts As WhatsApp Status
A woman from Tirunelveli was brutally hacked to death by her estranged husband inside a women's hostel in Coimbatore on Sunday, in a crime that has triggered outrage over rising offences against women in Tamil Nadu.
World AIDS Day: why HIV infections are still so hard to treat
Where other pathogens bent to human ingenuity, HIV forced us to rethink everything: diagnosis, therapy, prevention, even the limits of biomedical ambition
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.
U.S. rate cut hope propels gold, silver
Here is a select list of stories to start the day.
Motor insurance: When service ends after sales
The calls are relentless, the persuasion tireless, and the promises glowing, but once you sign up for the policy, you find yourself in a communication black hole with your calls and emails ignored
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.
Bangladesh ex-PM Hasina ordered 2009 killings: commission
According to the commissions report submitted on November 30, the then-Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina was directly involved in the mutiny
Extension of deadline for Special Intensive Revision of poll roll welcome: councillors
Mbapp scores but Real Madrid is frustrated by Girona in 1-1 draw
Kylian Mbapp converted a 67th-minute penalty after Azzedine Ounahi had put the hosts ahead in the 45th at Montilivi Stadium
Councillors call for return to zone-wise roadwork tenders
A councillor says that when a single contractor handles multiple areas, some places receive less attention; he alleges that contractors with connections to ruling party often dodge responsibilities
Trinamool Congress accuses Election Commission of India of leaking info to BJP leaders
From day one, Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP leaders have created a sense of fear among common people by repeatedly claiming that one crore names will be removed from the voter list in the state, TMC MP Partha Bhowmik said
Arsenal held by 10-man Chelsea, Isak ends drought to fire Liverpool
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off in the 38th minute at Stamford Bridge for a crude foul on Merino that caught the midfielder on his ankle
Tamil Nadu emerges overall Champion as 42nd Junior National Tennikoit Cship concludes
Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 30: The five day 42nd Junior (Boys & Girls) National Tennikoit Championship concluded today at Green Field, Gandhi Nagar, with Tamil Nadu lifting the overall championship trophy after a series of outstanding performances. The championship brought together around 550 players and officials from 23 States and UTs, making it one of the largest and most competitive national Tennikoit events held in Jammu in recent years. The closing ceremony was graced by Minister for Youth Services [] The post Tamil Nadu emerges overall Champion as 42nd Junior National Tennikoit Cship concludes appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Cyclone Ditwah expected to weaken into deep depression late on Sunday: Met Office
CHENNAI, Nov 30 : Cyclone Ditwah is expected to weaken into a deep depression and the weather system would be centred over southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance of 30 km from the coasts of North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry by midnight of Sunday, the Regional Meteorological Centre said. In an update about the Cyclone Ditwah, the Met office said the Cyclone Ditwah is located about 90 km southeast of Cuddalore, 120 km northeast of Karaikal, 90 km [] The post Cyclone Ditwah expected to weaken into deep depression late on Sunday: Met Office appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
A wall that connects, in a flood thats wrecked life and livelihood
More than three months after floods submerged this village and large parts of the State, reptiles and insects, some poisonous, now live in the water, making this strip of wall both a lifeline and a hazard for these families.
Citys secret spots turn safe haven for migratory birds
Divyanshi bags U15 TT bronze, U19 boys' team settles for silver
In the semifinals, Divyanshi Bhowmick went down fighting against China's Zhu Qihui 4-1 (12-10, 10-12, 6-11, 4-11, 8-11) to settle for a bronze
To preserve NDA ties, BJP high command acts against party handles targeting EPS
Village panchayats daily dumping ruins river Cooum at Maduravoyal
Puligilla-Sherif becomes first Indian pair to finish on WRC3 podium
Competing in the WRC3 category at the Saudi Arabia Rally 2025, Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif finished second in their class
West Ham great Billy Bonds dies aged 79
Billy Bonds played 799 times for West Ham during a 21-year spell between 1967-88, captaining the East London side to FA Cup victories in 1975 and 1980
Senthilkumar, Anahat start favourites in HCL Squash Indian Tour 4
The $15,000 PSA Challenger event features a mix of international and domestic contenders, including the experienced Joshna Chinappa, a former womens world No. 10, and mens world No. 51 Veer Chotrani
TN to set up advanced research centre at Taramani
Belgium edges out India 1-0 to clinch Azlan Shah hockey title
India were forced to settle for a silver, thanks to Thibeau Stockbroekx's lone goal of the match in the 34th minute
Fifty years ago | Riches down the drain
India needs research pipelines
The countries that turned science into industry did one thing well: they matched firm outlays to campus strengths and kept that link steady for years
One dead, two injured as luxury car hits them in south Delhi
MCD bypolls see 38.5% voter turnout; parties trade charges
Three weeks on, survivors of Red Fort blast struggle to get back on their feet
A hundred years ago | Censorship in India
Ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Indias next big public health opportunity
The National AIDS and STD Control Programme-Phase-VI is technologically modern, epidemiologically precise, and socially grounded
Pakistan rejects misplaced apprehensions of UN rights chief about 27th constitutional amendment
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said the hastily adopted amendments undermined judicial independence and raised concerns about military accountability
Verstappen wins Qatar GP as F1 title fight with Norris and Piastri goes to final race
Championship leader Lando Norris would have clinched his first F1 title with a win but finished in fourth place, with his McLaren teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri placing second
Chennai Corporation registers 89,691 pet dogs
Stamp in honour of Obul Reddy released on his birth centenary
Prohibition is a national subject, not restricted to Tamil Nadu: Thirumavalavan
Letters to The Editor December 1, 2025
City spared as Cyclone Ditwah loses its intensity
Only an average of 3.54 mm rainfall was recorded in all 15 zones of the GCC on Sunday; the govt. had kept ready 457 tree-cutting machines and 1,496 pumps; 20 special medical camps were held
Man arrested for making hoax bomb threat call to Maduravoyal police station
Tough choices: on the Congress in Karnataka
The Congresss troubles in Karnataka are symptomatic of a deeper malaise
South Asian Symphony Orchestra returns with a diverse ensemble
Can shared coaching duties trigger Indias another red-ball revival?
The possibility of different support structures for the Test and white-ball formats might just be a crucial question that needs an immediate answer; sometimes when there is a surfeit of cricket, it can leave the most passionate and even a battle-hardened coach and support staff physically and mentally drained, inadvertently opening the doors for disasters
2030 for 2036: on Ahmedabad, the CWG, the Olympics
India is trying to showcase Ahmedabads sports infrastructure in Olympics bid
AIDS and TB fight Tamil Nadu shows the way again
The Tamil Nadu model will help in TB control, just as it helped cut HIV infections in the 1990s
DMK claims credit for SIR date extension
Though we lost two wickets early, my intent was very clear: Kishan
Constitution must be introduced as a subject in primary education, says former MP
Munambam action council calls off protest, splinter group takes it further
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.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | Mhatres scintillating century sets up Mumbais dominant win over Andhra
The openers 104 off 59 balls and Tushars three-for does the job for the winning team; Samsons rampage takes Kerala past Chhattisgarh
Two from Bihar arrested on charges of online fraud
Two outgoing chairpersons try their luck again in Kalamassery, Eloor municipalities
Nearly 90,000 hectares of farmland submerged in Cauvery delta
Initial reports say standing paddy crop in Mayiladuthurai, Karaikal, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Pudukkottai have been damaged due to rain caused by Cyclone Ditwah
Bangladeshi nationals return in large numbers via Hakimpur border checkpost as SIR fears rise
Many say they are returning after watching videos of departure and fearing arrest under ongoing SIR exercise
Top leaders add zest to campaigning in Kozhikode Corporation
CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan, Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala, and senior BJP leader V.K. Sajeevan join candidates as campaigning peaks
U.K. plans justice overhaul to prioritise victims by cutting court delays
Some hearings are listed as far ahead as 2030 and figures show more than a quarter of cases wait a year or longer, with many victims abandoning proceedings. In rape cases, 60% of complainants withdraw before trial
Palaniswami accuses Sengottaiyan of betraying AIADMK
Resuming his Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom tour in Gobichettipalayam, he launches a scathing attack on the expelled leader and former MLA of the constituency, who joined actor Vijays TVK last week
Chinnara Utsava witnesses participation of 430 children from 10 childrens care centres
13 Bangladeshi fishermen taken into custody for entering Andhra waters
Rewiring Nippo: A founders legacy and a bold new charge
City hospital completes 100 robotic onco-surgeries
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
Tamil Nadu tragedy: 11 killed, 25 injured as two state-run buses collide near Karaikudi
The victims included eight women, two men and a child, all of whom died on the spot.
Indonesia, Thailand race to find missing as flooding toll tops 600
According to a tally, the death toll in Indonesia rose to 442, while 402 were still missing; in Thailand, at least 162 people were killed
BJP promises to make Thiruvananthapuram an Olympics venue
Order directing Rajasthan schools to mark Dec. 6 as Shaurya Diwas recalled
The directive proposed essay competitions on themes such as Indian cultural pride and the Ram Mandir movement
244 counting centres for Kerala local body polls
Congress discusses Centres stance on SIR debate, Vande Mataram anniversary
Opposition parties may stall Parliament proceedings till the government agrees to their demand for a debate on the SIR, sources said
MHA writes to States and UTs to consider renaming Raj Bhavans as Lok Bhavans
Letter cites colonial associations in existing names; West Bengal and Ladakh change names after receiving the letter
Students, youth asked to stay away from drugs, ganja
EAGLE, IMA organise cycle rally against drugs and vices in Krishna district
Youth to take out rally in Dharwad today to get vacant posts filled
Meanwhile, police refuse to give permission for rally as the organisers have not followed the due process
