The GRAPES-3 experiment at TIFR’s Cosmic Ray Laboratory in Ootacamandalam is getting upgraded. It is the telescope which reportedly made news last year when it detected the effect of a solar storm that hit the earth in June 2015. The upgrade will play a significant role in getting precise information about the propagation of storms in ‘the last million miles’ of their journey from the Sun to the Earth.

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister M C Sampath on Friday reportedly said the state was committed to its stand not to allow the privatisation of the Salem Steel Plant by the Centre. Recalling how the state had acted in the Neyveli Lignite Corporation disinvestment matter he assured that the government will not allow the privatisation of the steel plant. The state political parties have already raised opposition to the Centre's move to privatise SSP.

According to reports, actors Prakash Raj and Vishal have joined the Tamil Nadu farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi demanding drought relief fund. Prakash Raj reportedly said the cries of the farmers are not being heard, adding, they have joined them in support of the protest so that concerned ministries will take notice.

Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has reportedly said that National Eligibility cum Entrance Test will be conducted in three more cities in Tamil Nadu for 2017. As of now, Chennai, Tiruchi, Madurai, Salem and Coimbatore are the exam centres for NEET. The three new cities are Vellore, Namakkal and Tirunelveli.

According to reports, 60 kg of jewellery valued at about Rs 15 crore has been stolen from a jewelry store in Palayamkottai area of Tirunelveli. Reportedly, the thieves have made a hole in the roof of the store to get into the store.The police will reportedly start investigations on this matter.

Karnataka's Water Resources Minister MB Patil has reportedly said that they won’t release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu despite Supreme Court's order. "We do not have water and there is no question of release", Patil said. The SC told Karnataka to release 2000 cusec of water every day in its final hearing. Notably, This is the second time in a year that Karnataka is defying the SC.

AIADMK chief Sasikala has reportedly got over 100 letters since February 15 in the Parappana Agrahara central prison. According to the prison sources, the letters, written in Tamil, allegedly accused Sasikala of plotting to murder late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Sasikala stopped reading the letters as they were abusive, added the sources.

According to reports, a group of Tamil Nadu farmers protesting Delhi for a drought relief package submitted a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India o Thursday. They reportedly demanded his intervention in their protest seeking a Rs-40,000 crore drought relief package from the Centre for Tamil Nadu, loan waiver, among others for last ten days. The memorandum sought “suo motu” action by the apex court in this regard.

The Supreme Court reportedly said it would commence the final hearing on July 11 of the appeals filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala against the 2007 award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal on sharing of water. Notably, on October 18, last year the apex court had directed Karnataka to keep releasing 2,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till further orders.

AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai has reportedly said that the 'hat' symbol allotted to the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK will refer to party founder M G Ramachandran who was known to sport the accessory. Thambidurai said, “The symbol clearly indicates MGR, the founder of AIADMK, who used to wear such hats.”

The liquor price is expected to be increased by around 5% in Tamil Nadu. According to reports, Minister KC Veeramani presented a draft bill to hike the price of liquor during the budget discussion in the state Assembly on Thursday. Notably, if the bill is passed in the assembly, the price would be hiked.

The no confidence motion floated by the DMK against Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker P Dhanapal has reportedly failed. According to reports, 97 MLAs voted in support of the  motion, while 122 MLAs voted against the motion. Reportedly. MLAs belonging to DMK, Congress voted in support of the motion. This implies that P Dhanapal will continue as the speaker of the Assembly. Notably, O Panneerselvam’s camp of AIADMK were not present in the Assembly.

The Election Commission has reportedly allotted ‘hat’ for the V K Sasikala faction of AIADMK after the faction rejected the ‘autorickshaw’ symbol which was allotted earlier. Earlier, it was reported that Sasikala camp would be allotted ‘cricket bat’ symbol to contest in the upcoming R K Nagar bypolls. TTV Dinakaran will contest with the ‘hat’ symbol and name ‘ADMK Amma’.

After getting Twin-Lamp as a symbol the O Panneerselvam’s camp RK Nagar candidate Madhusudhanan claimed that winning possibility is much higher for their team. After filing nomination for the RK Nagar by-election the OPS supporter Madhusudhanan reportedly said that he is sure of winning the by-polls.  Notably, the OPS camp is given the name as ‘AMMA ADMK’.

The DMK has reportedly moved a no confidence motion in the Tamil Nadu Assembly against Assembly speaker P Dhanapal. Party working president M K Stalin reportedly proposed the motion in the Assembly. The DMK had earlier alleged that the speaker was not neutral in his actions during the trust vote in February. Notably, deputy speaker Pollachi Jayaraman is conducting the Assembly on Thursday.

According to reports, the Election Commission has reportedly allotted 'Electric Pole' for the O Panneerselvam camp. The Election Commission gave a separate name for the OPS camp as ‘ADMK Puratchi Thalaivi AMMA’. Notably, V.K Sasikala faction was given the name ‘ADMK AMMA’. Both the party members will contest in the coming RK Nagar by-election with their given symbol.