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At a press meet, Arjun Sampath appealed for a resolution to be passed expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The remarks were made in a short video clip shared by Dinamalar under its Shorts/Reels format. No further details on the context, venue, or the specific purpose of the proposed resolution were provided in the available source content.
Chennai witnessed a sharp exchange between the DMK and the Congress over the proposed Lok Sabha constituency delimitation, with both sides issuing statements questioning each other’s stand. DMK MP Dayanidhi asked why Congress is opposing delimitation “only in Tamil Nadu,” and challenged the party to question Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who has spoken in favour of delimitation and said it could increase Telangana’s representation. He also alleged that Congress is staging a “drama” by pushing for a meeting of Tamil Nadu MPs against delimitation, and questioned whether the party’s shift from supporting “fair delimitation” to opposing delimitation applies only to Tamil Nadu or to all states. He further asked why similar MP meetings were not held in Congress-ruled states.
A preliminary survey is under way to identify a site for a new Tamil Nadu Secretariat in Pattinapakkam, Chennai, close to Chief Minister Vijay’s residence, according to Secretariat officials. After the T.Ve.K.-led alliance formed the government, administrative changes have been initiated. As part of this, the Chief Minister’s office—traditionally located inside the Fort St. George complex—is being shifted to the 10th floor of the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai. Officials said the existing Secretariat setup faces constraints, with large portions of the Fort complex under military control and significant space limitations. They noted that previous chief ministers, including M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa, had also explored relocating the Secretariat at different times.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is reportedly holding consultations on whether to take disciplinary action against former minister C.V. Shanmugam, who has been openly critical of the party leadership. According to the report, after the Assembly election defeat, a dissenting group has been active within the AIADMK, led by former ministers C.V. Shanmugam and S.P. Velumani. While Velumani has not directly attacked Palaniswami and has instead spoken about strengthening the party by bringing in leaders such as Sasikala and T.T.V. Dhinakaran, Shanmugam has continued sharp criticism of Palaniswami.
Reports indicate the Tamil Nadu government is considering relaxing the rule that requires a law degree for appointments to Assistant Commissioner and higher posts in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department. The move is said to enable officials from other departments, including the Revenue Department, to be appointed to HR&CE. The HR&CE Department oversees 43,728 temples, while only around 800 staff—from inspectors to additional commissioners—are available for administration. With officials handling multiple temples each, the workload is heavy. Executive officers are recruited through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC), and those entering at lower levels typically rise through promotions.
Coimbatore: We The Leaders chief Annamalai on Sunday said India’s defence equipment manufacturing has become “a source of dread” for countries across the world. He was speaking at the valedictory of the ‘Coimbatore Swadeshi Expo and Food Festival’, organised by the Tamil Nadu Swadeshi Awareness Movement and Ramraj Cotton at Rathinam Grand Hall, Eachanari. At the event, Annamalai released Major Madhankumar’s book Operation Sindoor and urged youngsters and college students to read it. Recalling commando Prabhakaran, he said the soldier’s sacrifice for the nation evokes pride and emotion.
Chief Minister Vijay on Tuesday launched the state-wide ‘Drug-Free Tamil Nadu’ campaign at Chennai State College. Students at the venue took an anti-drug pledge following the Chief Minister’s address. Police personnel accorded a guard of honour to the Chief Minister on his arrival. During the programme, Vijay read out the pledge against narcotics, which was then repeated by students. An awareness video on drug abuse was screened as part of the event. The Chief Minister also presented medals to 15 police officers for their work in preventing the circulation of narcotic substances.
India’s Ministry of Education has seen another key reshuffle amid continuing fallout from the NEET question paper leak row and subsequent student protests. On July 23, Vineet Joshi, who was serving as Higher Education Secretary, was transferred and Naresh Pal Gangwar was appointed in his place. The developments came as protests intensified, with reports suggesting pressure on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Now, Gangwar has been moved out of the post within just 17 days. Senior IAS officer Deepti Gaur Mukerjee has been appointed as the new Higher Education Secretary.
Tensions between the United States and Iran have reportedly intensified, with Iran said to have issued threats against US President Donald Trump. Against this backdrop, a report has surfaced describing unusual security measures taken during Trump’s travel from Turkey. According to the account, Trump had travelled to Ankara for a NATO summit in a newly refurbished jet said to have been donated by Qatar. Before departing Ankara, he was seen by the media boarding Air Force One, but the aircraft did not take off.
In a significant development in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, the national flag will be hoisted on August 15 in 92 villages that were long under Maoist influence. The move is being described as the first such flag-hoisting in these villages since Independence in 1947. The villages are spread across three districts: 33 in Bijapur, 50 in Sukma and nine in Narayanpur. Officials say preparations are being made to mark Independence Day with public celebrations in these areas.
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha witnessed disruptions again on August 11, forcing proceedings to be stalled till 2 pm during the ongoing Monsoon Session. Speaker Om Birla appealed to both the government and the Opposition to arrive at a common understanding so that the House can function smoothly and take up discussion on important bills. He noted that the government has agreed to the Opposition’s demand that Union Home Minister Amit Shah respond on the incident in Delhi in which police allegedly resorted to a lathi-charge on protesting youth.
The Cauvery Management Authority (CMA) has directed Karnataka to release 1 TMC of water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days, according to an order issued in New Delhi. The decision followed the 139th meeting of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), where representatives from Kerala and Puducherry attended, while Tamil Nadu officials joined via video conference from Chennai. During the CWRC meeting, Tamil Nadu officials pressed for the release of 45.5 TMC due for August, along with pending Cauvery water. After deliberations, CWRC officials recommended that Karnataka supply 1 TMC a day for the next 15 days.
A Syrian civil court in Damascus has sentenced former president Bashar al-Assad to death, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity. The report notes that the Assad family ruled Syria for 54 years. Bashar al-Assad served as president from 2000 to 2024, during which he allegedly crushed dissent and consolidated power. Syria’s civil war began in 2011 and intensified again in 2024. That year, opposition forces captured the capital Damascus, after which Assad fled to Russia with his family. Rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa later assumed the presidency.
New Delhi: BJP MP and former Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of being a “habitual liar” and of shedding “crocodile tears” in Parliament. His remarks come as protests continue in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including question paper leaks. Pradhan said the opposition was using the agitation for political gain. In a post on X, Pradhan claimed Rahul Gandhi was spreading falsehoods in the name of students’ welfare and was not interested in attending Parliament or listening to answers given in the House. He also alleged that Rahul and the Congress were making baseless and untrue accusations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
New Delhi: With opposition MPs continuing to disrupt proceedings during the Monsoon Session, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (August 11) passed two more bills without any debate. Since the first day of the session, opposition members have raised multiple issues and staged protests, affecting the House’s scheduled business. Even as sittings were repeatedly interrupted and adjourned, bills have been taken up and cleared when the House reconvened, without detailed discussion.
Jan Suraaj founder and Bankipur MLA Prashant Kishor has said that when the education system breaks down and unemployment rises, young people will “naturally” take to the streets in protest. Speaking in Patna, Kishor referred to recent police action against protesters in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and in Patna, and said similar developments were being seen in Jharkhand as well. He linked the unrest to repeated exam paper leaks and wider problems in education, arguing that such issues, combined with joblessness, push citizens—especially youth—towards agitation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to citizens to hoist the national flag at their homes on Independence Day. He made the request through a video shared on Instagram. The call is linked to the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, launched by the Union Ministry of Culture in 2022. Since then, many people have been hoisting the Tricolour at their residences every year. Ahead of the August 15 celebrations, the Ministry of Culture has asked Indians to put up the Tricolour at home and upload it on Harghartiranga.com. Modi reiterated the message in his latest post.
Greater Chennai Police have launched a dedicated anti-corruption cell and announced a WhatsApp number for citizens to report bribery demands by police personnel. The move comes amid the state government’s broader push against bribery and corruption. The report notes that anti-corruption officials have been conducting frequent raids in offices such as taluk administration, VAO offices and registration departments. Earlier, the government had introduced a WhatsApp number (94981 80936) and an email ID ([email protected]) for the public to report bribery by government staff, which, according to the report, received a positive response.
A short video published by Dinamalar highlights a renowned Malaysian Tamil scholar. The content appears under the platform’s Shorts/Reels section, indicating it is a brief, reel-style presentation. No additional details about the scholar’s background or the specific focus of the video were provided in the available source text.
Reports indicate the Tamil Nadu government is considering relaxing recruitment norms in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, particularly for the post of Assistant Commissioner and above. The proposed change would ease the requirement that candidates must hold a law degree, enabling officers from departments such as Revenue to be appointed. The HR&CE Department oversees 43,728 temples, while only about 800 officials—from inspectors to additional commissioners—handle administration. With staff managing multiple temples each, the workload is heavy. Executive officers are recruited through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC), with entry-level eligibility set at Class 10 pass, and promotions leading to higher ranks.
Tamil Nadu has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court in the case related to setting up Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in the state, arguing that the Centre cannot impose its administrative policies on a state government. The top court had earlier directed the Tamil Nadu government to identify land in every district for establishing Navodaya schools and also asked the state to spell out its stand on the issue.
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a special resolution stating that public functions should begin with Tamil Thai Vazhthu, with support from all parties. Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Vijay said Tamil is not merely a language but a living identity rooted in emotion, culture and history. He argued that the state should not allow Tamil’s place to be pushed back, and described Tamil Thai Vazhthu as a key symbol of the language.
Actor Dhanush is said to be showing sustained interest in entering politics, with reports claiming the state government has asked the intelligence wing to keep track of his activities. The directive is attributed to Chief Minister Vijay, according to sources cited in the report. Over the past year, Dhanush has reportedly been exploring a political launch and has now begun efforts to convert his fan club into a political organisation. As an initial step, he unveiled a flag for the fan club during his birthday event, where he also made indirect political remarks.
Health Minister Arun Raj on Sunday released the Tamil Nadu rank list for medical admissions at an event held in Chennai. According to the details shared, 51,306 candidates from Tamil Nadu qualified in the NEET exam. A total of 72,672 applications were received for MBBS and BDS courses—41,721 under the government quota and 30,904 under the management quota. In the main rank list, Venkatapathy Velayudham from Villupuram secured the first rank with 705 marks. Sreenika from Pudukkottai stood second with 700 marks, while A.M. Sudhar from Virudhunagar was third with 696 marks.
India’s national song “Vande Mataram” has completed 150 years since it was written. In February, the Union government directed that the song must be played in government and school functions before the national anthem. The Centre has also passed a Bill in Parliament providing for up to three years’ imprisonment for those who deliberately insult the song, according to the report. As the country prepares to celebrate its 80th Independence Day on Saturday, August 15, the song will be played before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address for the first time.
School Education Minister Rajmohan said in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that schools which have been shut due to low enrolment can be made functional again if at least 10 students join. Speaking during a debate, BJP MLA Bojarajan referred to three schools in the Udhagamandalam constituency that were reportedly closed citing insufficient student strength. Responding, the minister maintained that no government school had been closed. He said headmasters and teachers are conducting door-to-door visits to identify student dropouts.
New Delhi: In a charged political climate, a delegation of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MPs led by Supriya Sule met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Sunday. According to the MPs, the delegation raised Maharashtra’s concerns over heavy rainfall and flooding, drought conditions, and sought greater central assistance through disaster relief funding. They also urged the Centre to confer the Bharat Ratna on social reformers Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai Phule and Anna Bhau Sathe.
The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday told the Madras High Court that the previous DMK regime had “protected” former minister Nehru by not acting on allegations linked to irregular appointments in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department. The matter relates to alleged bribery in recruitments during 2024 and 2025 for 2,538 posts, including Assistant Junior Engineer positions, with claims that Rs 634 crore was collected as bribes. The cases came up again before a bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan.
A powerful earthquake struck Colombia on Sunday, registering 7.4 on the Richter scale, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor was felt around 6 pm IST. The epicentre was reported about 5 km east of San José del Palmar in Chocó province, at a depth of 107 km. The quake caused buildings and homes to shake, prompting thousands to rush out onto the streets in panic. Authorities said at least 47 people have died so far. Several buildings reportedly collapsed, and more than 1,000 people are believed to be trapped in the rubble, raising fears that the death toll could increase.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday launched a sharp attack on communists during a debate in the Rajya Sabha, calling them “cowards” and accusing them of avoiding answers in Parliament. The remarks came as the Upper House passed amendments moved by the Centre to the Payment and Settlement Systems law. The Bill had already been cleared by the Lok Sabha. Speaking on the Bill, CPM member John Brittas alleged that charges were being imposed on UPI transactions due to pressure from the United States, drawing a comparison with developments in Brazil. He also said the current approach went against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that India’s digital payments system was built as a free public asset.
