Kerala Rains: Red Alert Issued August 13, 2018 14:09
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh warning of heavy rain in Kerala in the following 24 to 48 hours. The abundant rainfall in the state has left 37 people dead in the last five days. According to the preliminary assessment by the state government, Kerala has suffered a loss of Rs. 8,316 crore, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday announced a relief of Rs. 100 crore, after taking an aerial survey of the flood-affected parts. The 'Red alert' has been issued by IMD asking people to be cautious since there is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall in most places in Wayanad, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kannur, Palakkad, and Malappuram districts in the following 48 hours. By Sowmya Sangam
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Odisha: Four Kanwariyas Dead in Train Accident August 13, 2018 12:36
The moving train hit on Sunday night at Rourkela city hit four Kanwariyas, including a woman while they were crossing on a railway bridge over River Brahmani. While one succumbed to injuries in hospital, three were dead on the spot. All the deceased belonged to one household hailing from Puruna Basti area of Power House Road in Chhattisgarh's Bhilai city. "The accident took place around 11.30 p.m. After alighting from a train at Panposh railway station, kanwariyas were crossing the railway bridge on Brahmani to reach Vedavyas Temple, a prominent Shiva shrine. In the nick of time, a speeding train hit the group," said Karam Say Kawar, Superintendent of Police of Rourkela Railway division, here on Monday. Three bodies fell from the bridge after mishap, while two bodies were recovered, Yamuna's body could not be traced. Fire service personnel were probing in Brahmani River. Meanwhile, two kanwariyas who were collecting holy water from River Mahanadi are feared to have drowned. While one devotee was reclaimed, another was still nonexistent. By Sowmya Sangam
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Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Dies at Kolkata August 13, 2018 10:49
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, 89, passed away at a private hospital on Monday morning following multiple organ failure. Chatterjee passed away at about 8:15 a.m. after his condition deteriorated following Sunday's "mild heart attack", said a hospital official from Belle Vue Clinic hospital where the former Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader was undergoing treatment. He was suffering from a kidney-related ailment and was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition on Tuesday last. He was in the Intensive Coronary Care Unit and had been put on ventilation. Earlier this month, the former speaker had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. Chatterjee, a 10-time Lok Sabha Member of parliament was a central committee member of the CPI(M), which he had joined in 1968. He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009. In 2008 from the CPI (M), Somnath Chatterjee was expelled for refusing to renounce as the Speaker after his party withdrew assist to the UPA-I authorities. CPI (M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said, "It's a big setback for us. Today, we lost Somnath da around 8.15 am at a private hospital in Kolkata." Leaders from across the political spectrum mourned his death. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Chatterjee's demise and described him as a "strong voice for the well-being of the poor and vulnerable" "Former MP and Speaker Shri Somnath Chatterjee was a stalwart of Indian politics. He made our Parliamentary democracy richer and was a strong voice for the well-being of the poor and vulnerable. Anguished by his demise. My thoughts are with his family and supporters," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, in a tweet, expressed his deep sorrow over the passing away of Chatterjee. By Sowmya Sangam
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Solar Eclipse: Moon Schedules to Partially Cover Sun This Saturday August 11, 2018 13:11
A solar eclipse is set to happen this Saturday, August 11, but it is only going to be a partial one. The moon won't be fully covering the sun, so it's not as spectacular as last year's eclipse. Nonetheless, this is still a rare occurrence. According to Space.com, the partial solar eclipse that is happening this weekend won't be as thrilling as the total solar eclipse that happened on Aug. 21 last year. Also, it will only be visible in certain regions.The places that will get a good view of the partial eclipse include most of Asia, certain areas in northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland. It will also be viewable from some spots in northern and eastern Canada. Veteran NASA eclipse scientist Fred Espenak has shared a table of the countries and places that can get a good view of the eclipse at certain times of the day.Sadly, the United States is nowhere to be found in Espenak's table. Hence, it is impossible for people in the country to enjoy this Saturday’s partial eclipse. By Sowmya Sangam
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Kerala Rains: Water Levels Sees Slight Dip at Idduki's Cheruthoni Dam August 11, 2018 13:01
The water levels at the Cheruthoni dam in Idukki has decreased by half a feet on Saturday morning, which came as little relief for the people of Kerala. The water levels at the reservoir as of 6 a.m. on Saturday was recorded to be 2401.16 feet as opposed to 2401.60 feet at 10 p.m. on Friday. The Full Reservoir Level of (FRL) at Cheruthoni dam is 2403 feet.As per a report by Asianet news., 750 cubic feet of water is being released per second from the dam at the moment. It has likewise been reported that the intensity of the flow of water into the dam has also reduced on Saturday morning.All five shutters of the Cheruthoni dam remain open. While the first shutter was opened on Thursday - the first time in 26 years - the remaining sluice gates were opened on Friday. The government of Kerala in an official statement on Friday evening has reported that the death toll due to the incessant rains witnessed in the state for the last three days has risen to 29. By Sowmya Sangam
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Uttar Pradesh: Under-Construction Flyover Collapses at Basti District August 11, 2018 12:10
A part of an under-construction flyover on a highway at Uttar Pradesh's Basti district collapsed early morning today, injuring a laborer who was working at the site. He is being treated at a local hospital.Eyewitnesses said the iron beams supporting the flyover appear to have sunk into the ground, leading to the collapse. It has been raining in the area for the last two weeks.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has told the local authorities to clear the debris and ensure traffic is not affected on National Highway 28, some 205 km from state capital Lucknow.This portion of the flyover was being constructed by contractors directly employed by the road transport and highways ministry, people with direct knowledge of the matter said. Sixty percent of the construction work was complete.By Sowmya Sangam
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NDA Candidate Harivansh Singh Elected as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha August 09, 2018 12:22
For the post of the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman, the first-time lawmaker Harivansh Singh from Nitish's Kumar Janata Dal-United easily won the election, as the opposition came up short in the contest that was seen as a test for its unity in the run-up to the 2019 national election. Harivansh Singh had 125 votes against opposition's 105. In the gripping build-up over the last few days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah worked the phones and won over fence-sitters like Naveen Patnaik. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), distressed at the opposition Congress, decided to stay out. With the battle expected to be close, even Union minister Arun Jaitley, who was recuperating at home from surgery, came to parliament to vote."I congratulate Harivansh Ji on being elected the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.By Sowmya Sangam
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Heavy Rains Lash Kerala, 16 Killed August 09, 2018 12:02
The Associated Press has illustrated how families are still entering the United States even in the face of daily global headlines over the Trump administration's zero-tolerance immigration policies. From Central America, the families flow is particularly marked in this overlooked stretch Arizona and California borders. According to Border Patrol's Yuma Sector, over 120 percent rise in the figures households and isolated children caught at the border over the last year, amazing area's citizenry that had been mostly quiet and tranquil for the past decade.Nearly 10,000 families and 4,500 unaccompanied children have been apprehended by agents in Yuma sector thus far this fiscal year, which is an immense increase since seven years. The Trump administration's policy of separating families did not seem to be slowing the flow. Per day, in June the Border Patrol here apprehended an average of 30 families when the uproar over the policy was at its peak, an increase from May. For family border crossings, Yuma is present the second-busiest sector following the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.He further said while drug smugglers and other criminals use the vast desert to cross illegally, most families and children simply walk or swim across into the U.S. and wait to be arrested, according to Border Patrol spokesman Jose Garibay. Many travels in large groups.Garibay says he was once on assignment when he encountered a group of over 60 families and children.It was challenging for the agency to deal with sizable numbers of families and children. There are only so many vans for the conveyance of immigrants to the sector's processing facility in Yuma.Umpteen don't understand why so many families and children from Central America are coming to the U.S. through this stretch of Arizona and braving its extreme summer heat, when the more direct path takes them to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, more than 1,000 miles away.Garibay said migration patterns are largely controlled by the cartels that smuggle people across. Yuma is a cultivation center that relies to a great extent on immigrant labor to harvest crops, chiefly lettuce and dates. Scores of Mexican workers cross the border with special visas to work the fields. Their employers have to pay to house and feed them, and they earn around $10 an hour.By Sowmya Sangam
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Rajaji Hall: 2 Killed, 28 Injured August 08, 2018 17:21
Two people have been killed and 28 others have been injured in a stampede that broke out at the Rajaji Hall in Chennai, where Kalaignar Karunanidhi's mortal remains have been kept for public homage. According to reports, the incident occurred around 11.15 a.m. People wanting to catch a glimpse of the late DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) Chief started rushing into the grounds through one of the many entrances of Rajaji Hall. Galore tried to climb over the gates of the neighboring building and into the premises. When the police tried to contain the crowd, many people tripped and fell and were subsequently seriously injured. By Sowmya Sangam
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Karunanidhi Death: Funeral Procession to Commence at 4 P.M. August 08, 2018 15:09
The DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) headquarters has put out a statement specifying the routes and the time of the funeral procession of the mortal remains of DMK President Dr. Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi."The President of the DMK and the leader of Tamilians Kalaignar's mortal remains will be taken in a procession from Rajaji Hall at around 4 pm via Sivananda Salai passing by Periyar's statue and will reach Anna statue. From there the procession will take the Walajah road and reach Anna Square on Kamarajar Salai and his remains will be laid to rest there," read the statement. It also added, "Brothers and sisters of the party and members of the public are requested to maintain calm during the procession and pay their final respects to the unmatched leader of the Tamils."His body was taken from the hospital and kept at his Gopalapuram and CIT Colony residences for people to come and pay their respects.Meanwhile, Karunanidhi's family members and a few senior DMK leaders met the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and requested him to allot land in Marina. They requested that Karunanidhi is laid to rest near his mentor, former Chief Minister Annadurai's memorial on Kamaraj Salai throughout the night.By Sowmya Sangam
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People Pay Respects to Kalaignar, HC Grants DMK's Plea on Burial August 08, 2018 10:37
DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Dr. M Karunanidhi passed away on Tuesday at 6.40 p.m., aged 94.His mortal remains have been kept at Rajaji Hall in Chennai and since early Wednesday morning, leaders and supporters have been pouring in to pay their last respects to the late DMK Chief.The leader was admitted to the Kauvery hospital in Chennai on June 26 due to a drop in blood pressure and passed away due to age-related complications.On Tuesday night, the DMK moved Madras High Court after the Tamil Nadu government refused a burial for Karunanidhi at Marina beach, next to his mentor CN Annadurai. The Acting Chief Justice agreed to hear their petition at 10.30 p.m. and later adjourned the hearing for 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The Tamil Nadu government has filed an testimony in the tribunal on the same.Madras HC has granted permission to bury mortal remains of Karunanidhi on Marina Beach.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Indian National Congress Rahul Gandhi are expected to arrive in Chennai today to pay their last respects to Karunanidhi.Karunanidhi is survived by his wife Dayalu Ammal, his partner Rajathi Ammal, and his children Stalin, Alagiri, Kanimozhi, Selvi, Muthu, Thamizharasu, and various grandchildren.By Sowmya Sangam
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DMK Chief Karunanidhi's Health Critical August 07, 2018 12:45
DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) chief and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister of M. Karunanidhi's health remains critical as of Tuesday morning, and he is under medical supervision at Chennai's Kauvery Hospital. The bulletin from the hospital on Monday evening said there was a decline in his condition, and that "his response to medical interventions over the next 24 hours would determine his prognosis". Thousands of DMK cadre and supporters are gathered outside the hospital, and there is a heavy deployment of police ensure no untoward incident takes place. By Sowmya Sangam
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