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Chennai saw another sharp drop in gold rates on Thursday (March 6), with 22-carat jewellery gold falling by Rs 1,280 per sovereign to Rs 1,19,680. The per-gram price declined by Rs 160 to Rs 14,960. The report noted that gold and silver had surged last week amid the conflict involving the US and Israel against Iran, and Iran’s retaliation. After the initial spike when the war began, prices have been easing over the past few days.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Thursday said the United States would not repeat with India the mistakes it made in its trade relationship with China. Speaking at a geopolitics and economy conference in New Delhi, Landau said Washington had drawn several lessons from its trade engagement with China over the past two decades. He added that the US would approach trade arrangements with India with greater clarity to safeguard American interests.
A Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Assam while on a training sortie, killing both pilots on board. The aircraft took off from the Jorhat air base and lost radar contact at around 7:42 pm on Wednesday. The IAF launched an immediate search operation to locate the jet. After an intensive search, the aircraft was found to have crashed and been destroyed. The deaths of the two pilots, identified as Anuj and Poorvesh Tharakkar, were confirmed.
NTK (Naam Tamilar Katchi) coordinator Seeman on Thursday alleged that votes are being purchased and said any victory secured by paying money is “disgraceful”. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Chennai. Seeman also spoke about issues along the Tamil Nadu–Kerala border, claiming that the state is suffering losses around the boundary. He alleged that hills are being cut and removed and that waste is being dumped in Tamil Nadu, adding that he was working to address these concerns.
Vote counting is under way in Nepal following the March 5 general election, held amid political turbulence. Early trends show the Rastriya Swatantra Party, led by rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah, taking a strong lead in many constituencies. Nepal’s Parliament has 275 seats, with 165 elected through direct polls and the remaining 110 filled through proportional representation. Officials said voter turnout was around 60%. Balen Shah, a former mayor of Kathmandu, was named the party’s prime ministerial candidate. The Unified Marxist–Leninist party fielded former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli as its candidate.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged farmers to strengthen natural, chemical-free farming and place greater emphasis on agricultural exports. Speaking at an online seminar on agriculture and rural development, Modi said agriculture remains a key pillar of India’s economy and plays a major role in the country’s long-term growth. He stressed the need to ensure that every rupee allocated in the Union Budget is used for its intended purpose.
BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced that the state government will impose a ban on social media use for children below 16 years of age. Making the statement during his budget speech, Siddaramaiah said the move is aimed at preventing harm to children’s mental health and addressing the adverse impact of mobile phone use on education. The announcement came as the Karnataka government presented its budget in the Assembly. Siddaramaiah said this was his 17th budget.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday announced 14 major pledges at an event held in Nandambakkam, Chennai. The announcements, made ahead of the Assembly elections, outlined plans the DMK says it will implement if it returns to power. A key promise is to build 7 lakh houses by 2030 under the “Kanavu Illam” scheme—5 lakh in rural areas and 2 lakh in urban areas. The package also includes medical insurance for people, special camps to detect diabetes and high blood pressure, and a mental health counselling centre in every district.
Chennai: Former BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai has accused the DMK government of putting the state’s interests at risk following Karnataka’s latest announcement on the Mekedatu dam. In a statement, Annamalai said the Congress government in Karnataka, in its budget, has indicated that it will prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for constructing the Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery river, which he described as vital for Tamil Nadu farmers.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the results of the 2025 Civil Services Examination. Candidates from Tamil Nadu made a strong mark, with Rajeswari Suve from Madurai securing the All India Rank (AIR) 2 and Raja Mohaideen from Chennai securing AIR 7. The Civil Services Examination is conducted annually to fill posts including IAS and IPS. For the 2025 cycle, the exam was held to fill 1,087 vacancies, with the written examination conducted in August and interviews held last month.
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday announced that the state will move to ban social media use for children below 13 years within the next 90 days. Speaking in the Assembly, Naidu said the government is working to ensure that those under 13 are unable to access social media platforms. He added that the proposal is currently under consideration and will be firmed up after consultations.
Tehran: New details have emerged on the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader and ruler Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with reports claiming he was killed in a missile strike carried out by Israeli forces using a highly accurate missile known as the “Blue Sparrow”. The report comes amid continuing joint attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran. While Khamenei’s death is being seen as a major setback for Iran in the ongoing conflict, Iranian forces are said to be continuing to fight against the US-Israel coalition.
Dubai residents have begun receiving government-issued SMS alerts warning of possible missile attacks in certain areas. The messages advise people to avoid going outdoors. The alerts come amid rising tensions in the region, with reports of increasing attacks by US and Israeli forces against Iran and retaliatory strikes by Iran targeting US bases in Gulf countries. An Indian resident in Dubai said multiple warnings were received on their phone, prompting families to stock essential supplies for emergencies. The resident added that passports and other important documents have been kept ready in a bag.
With the DMK having firmed up a large alliance of 23 parties in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK is reportedly keeping its alliance options open and waiting for actor-politician Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) had said during a campaign event in Namakkal that an alliance with TVK was taking shape. However, TVK sources later stated that no decision had been taken on an alliance with the AIADMK.
An alleged attack on Scheduled Caste residents in Idakattur near Manamadurai in Sivaganga district left three people injured, police said. Nine people have been named in the case, and five have been arrested so far. According to the complaint, a quarrel broke out around 3 pm on March 3 between Pandiyaraj (41) of Chettikulam and Mahesh (42) of V. Pudhukulam. Raju (42), a Scheduled Caste resident of Idakattur, intervened and asked them not to fight.
Court orders refunds of reciprocal tariffs A US international trade court has ordered the government to return more than Rs 12 lakh crore collected through reciprocal tariffs, calling the levy unlawful. The ruling directs that refunds to importers should begin. Background to the dispute After taking office for a second term in January last year, President Donald Trump imposed steep reciprocal tariffs on several countries, citing the trade deficit. The move drew sharp criticism from other nations and also triggered opposition within the US.
New Delhi: In a rare development in Lok Sabha history, the House is expected to debate on March 9 a motion moved by opposition parties seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla. As the motion concerns him directly, he is not expected to preside over the sitting and will instead watch the proceedings from the treasury benches. The second phase of Parliament’s Budget Session is set to begin on March 9. Opposition parties are preparing to raise multiple issues, while the Union government is pushing to pass key bills.
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has announced free accommodation for travellers stranded in Dubai without a place to stay. According to the report, tensions have escalated in West Asia following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, and retaliatory missile strikes by Iran on neighbouring countries including the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The situation has disrupted flight services in the region. With Dubai airport serving as a key transit hub for passengers travelling to Europe and the United States, many travellers from different countries have been left stranded.
TVK chief Vijay and actor Trisha attended a wedding ceremony in Chennai wearing outfits in the same colour, drawing widespread attention. The appearance comes as Vijay’s wife, Sangeetha, has filed a divorce petition at the Chengalpattu court. In the petition, she has alleged that Vijay is in a relationship beyond marriage with an actor. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing next month. Against this backdrop, a wedding event was held at the residence of producer Kalpathi Suresh in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai. Vijay attended in a silk veshti and shirt, while Trisha wore a saree in the same shade.
New Delhi: The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has reported that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earned Rs 6,769.14 crore in income during the 2024-25 financial year. ADR said this accounted for 85.03% of the total donations received by national parties. ADR, a voluntary organisation that tracks political funding and publishes reports, said six national parties together received Rs 7,960.09 crore in donations in 2024-25. The parties listed were the BJP, Congress, CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the National People’s Party (NPP).
India booked a place in the T20 World Cup final after defeating England by seven runs in the second semi-final at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. England won the toss and chose to bowl first. India posted a formidable 253 for 7 in 20 overs, powered by a blistering 89 off 42 balls from Sanju Samson, who brought up his half-century in just 26 deliveries. Ishan Kishan struck 39 off 18, while Shivam Dube added 43 off 25 and Tilak Varma hit 21 off 7.
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has imposed a ban on conducting religious, political, language- and caste-related events within private school campuses across the state. The decision has been published in the Tamil Nadu government gazette. All categories of private schools in Tamil Nadu function with recognition from the School Education Department and are monitored under the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Rules. According to the department, complaints were received that various non-academic programmes were being held on private school premises. Following this, amendments were made to the Private Schools Regulation Rules and a government order was issued.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed concern over the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, calling for an early end to the wars. He said problems cannot be solved through military conflict alone and stressed the need for dialogue and diplomacy. Modi made the remarks after meeting Finland President Alexander Stubb in New Delhi during the latter’s four-day visit to India. Following their talks, the two sides signed three key agreements aimed at expanding cooperation.
A special court in Mumbai has issued notices to Nishal and Nehal Modi, brothers of diamond merchant Nirav Modi, in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud involving ₹23,780 crore. Investigators allege that Nirav Modi and Gujarat-based diamond trader Mehul Choksi obtained loans from PNB’s Mumbai branch using forged documents and later fled abroad without repaying the dues. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the case and has filed a chargesheet citing the alleged use of fake paperwork.
India’s upcoming Census 2027 will be conducted entirely through digital processes, with the Union government planning to deploy around 3.2 million government officials for field work across the country. The census, originally due in 2021, was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Centre has now scheduled the start of Census 2027-related work from April 1. The exercise will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, from April to September, officials will prepare the house listing and housing count, collecting responses to 33 questions from residents.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued guidelines directing civil courts handling temple land-related disputes to give such matters priority and, as far as possible, dispose of them within six months. The directions were issued while hearing a petition filed by Chennai resident Radhakrishnan seeking removal of encroachments from lands belonging to the Vennamalai Balasubramaniaswamy Temple in Karur district. A Division Bench comprising Justices B. Velmurugan and B. Pugalendhi noted concerns that organised protests and the influence of certain encroachers could hinder enforcement of court orders.
Patna witnessed fresh political churn after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filed his nomination to contest for a Rajya Sabha seat. The move has intensified speculation over who could take over the state’s top post. Nitish leads the NDA government in Bihar, with JD(U) and the BJP as key partners. Although the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the recent Assembly election, Nitish became chief minister as per the alliance’s power-sharing understanding.
New Delhi: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the ongoing conflict in West Asia has “reached India’s doorstep”, and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining silent on the developments. His remarks come amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. An Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Dena, which had visited Visakhapatnam for the ‘Milan’ naval exercise, recently began its return journey. According to reports cited in the incident, the ship was attacked near Sri Lanka by a US submarine using a torpedo, leading to the vessel sinking. It was claimed that more than 100 Iranian sailors died.
The Madras High Court has relaxed the conditions imposed on senior BJP leader H Raja while his appeal is pending. The case relates to social media posts made in 2018, including one that allegedly insulted DMK MP Kanimozhi and another referring to removing a Periyar statue, similar to an incident involving a Lenin statue in Tripura. Based on complaints over the two posts, a Chennai special court tried the cases and, on December 2, 2024, sentenced Raja to six months’ imprisonment in each case and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 per case.
Kolkata: Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi has been appointed as the new Governor of West Bengal following the resignation of C.V. Ananda Bose, according to a statement issued by the President’s House. The Rashtrapati Bhavan said Bose’s resignation has been accepted. It added that Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar will take additional charge and carry out the duties of the Tamil Nadu Governor. Bose, who had served as West Bengal Governor for about three-and-a-half years, submitted his resignation letter at the President’s House in New Delhi. While his term was to run until November 2027, he did not disclose the reasons behind the decision.
