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Dutch PM Mark Rutte Sheikh Hasina to have Russian­made ‘Buk’ Injured cuts short India visit luncheon meeting missile downed MH17, not to play for Surrey owing to domestic issues with PM Modi today say investigators in county cricket page 11 page 14 page 16 page 19

Printed at . Chennai . Coimbatore . Bengaluru . Hyderabad . Madurai . Noida . Visakhapatnam . Thiruvananthapuram . Kochi . Vijayawada . Mangaluru . Tiruchirapalli . Kolkata . Hubballi . Mohali . Malappuram . Mumbai . Tirupati . lucknow . cuttack . patna Tamil Nadu CM says Sterlite will be shut; power supply cut TNPCB orders closure after finding the unit was preparing to resume production

Special Correspondent Chennai Rajnath Singh Tamil Nadu Chief Minister seeks report Edappadi K. Palaniswami said on Thursday that the Union Home Minister State government was taking Rajnath Singh said on all steps legally to perma­ Thursday that he had sought nently close down Sterlite a report from the Tamil Copper, a Vedanta Group Nadu government on the company, in Thoothukudi. police firing in Thoothukudi Thirteen persons were and the situation in the killed in police firing during town. He appealed to the the protests against the people to stay calm and plant. maintain peace. The State Earlier in the day, the Ta­ government has been asked mil Nadu Pollution Control to explain the action taken Board (TNPCB) ordered the to restore peace and closure of the Sterlite Cop­ Boots on the ground: Policemen deployed at Anna Nagar normalcy. Ī PAGE 15

per unit with immediate ef­ in Thoothukudi on Thursday. * N. RAJESH DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD fect and disconnected elec­ tricity supply to the plant at chamber. Mr. Stalin, who was not granted. said the company would like 5.15 a.m. was physically removed Following this, the Joint to continue the business at “This government is Am­ from the Secretariat premis­ Chief Environmental Engi­ the plant with the “wish” of ma’s [Jayalalithaa’s] govern­ es and detained till the even­ neer, Tirunelveli, recom­ the community. At present, ment that respects the senti­ ing, alleged that the Sterlite mended disconnection of the company is waiting for ments of the people. As far Group had bribed the go­ electricity supply to the clearance from the court and as the Sterlite issue is con­ vernment. plant under Section 33A of the government to restart cerned, this Amma’s govern­ the Water (Prevention and the plant, which was closed ment is taking steps legally TNPCB inspections Control of Pollution) Act, for annual maintenance, he to close down the unit,” Mr. In its order, the TNPCB said 1974, and Section 31A of the said in a video statement on Palaniswami told journalists that during inspections by its Air (Prevention and Control Twitter. at the Secretariat. officials on May 18 and 19, it of Pollution)Act, 1981. His statement came soon was found that “the unit was CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 14 after Opposition leader M.K. carrying out activities to res­ Awaiting nod: Vedanta WHY IS PM SILENT ON POLICE Stalin staged a dharna out­ ume its production opera­ However, Vedanta Chairman FIRING: CONGRESS Ī PAGE 15 side the Chief Minister’s tions” though permission Anil Agarwal on Thursday MORE REPORTS ON Ī PAGES 2 & 3 NEARBY Trump calls off ‘Karnataka coalition summit with Kim under watch’ Cites his open hostility in remarks MURALIDHARA KHAJANE Bengaluru Varghese K. George Karnataka Chief Minister Helicopter ride over Washington H.D. Kumaraswamy, on the the Nilgiris sparks row U.S. President Donald eve of a floor test on Friday, CHENNAI Trump on Thursday called said it was a challenge for A helicopter service to be launched in Mettupalayam off his June 12 meeting with him to live up to the expec­ from May 25 to 29 for locals North Korean leader Kim tations of national and re­ and tourists to view the Jong­un, which was to take gional leaders, who were Nilgiris mountains has come place in Singapore. watching the Congress­Ja­ as a shock to environmental In a letter to Mr. Kim, Mr. nata Dal (Secular) govern­ activists, who say sorties at a Trump wrote: “...based on ment as a model ahead of low altitude will affect the tremendous anger and ”I was very much looking the 2019 general election. wildlife in the biosphere. open hostility displayed in forward” to the meeting, Mr. Kumaraswamy’s They say there is a ban your most recent statement, Mr. Trump said in his letter. swearing­in on Wednesday on commercial helicopter I feel it is inappropriate, at saw the attendance of a operations over the Nilgiris. this time, to have this long­ vel early this month with spectrum of leaders from TAMIL NADU Ī PAGE 7 planned meeting.” both countries resorting to across India, keen to form DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD “I was very much looking fresh threats. a non­BJP alliance ahead of forward to being there with the Lok Sabha election. you,” the President said in ‘Test site dismantled’ “I am open­minded and his letter, which was re­ Earlier in the day, North Ko­ I know that the entire leased by the White House. rea said it had “completely” country is watching Karna­ In a dramatic turnaround dismantled its nuclear test taka and every move of in March, Mr. Trump accept­ site. Foreign journalists in­ mine,” the Chief Minister ed Mr. Kim’s offer for a sum­ vited to the scene described said. A coordination com­ mit, conveyed through a series of explosions mittee of leaders from both South Korean interlocutors. throughout the day at the parties would help to take After months of diatribe and Punggye­ri test site in the the coalition structure for­ FRIDAY REVIEW Ī 12 PAGES threats, Mr. Trump and Mr. northeast. ward, he added. (TABLOID) Kim appeared willing to ne­ (With AFP inputs) METROPLUS Ī 10 PAGES gotiate denuclearisation of INTERVIEW ON Ī PAGE 15 DOWNTOWN Ī 8 PAGES the Korean peninsula, but WORLD LOST AN OPPORTUNITY, THE COALITION IS HERE TO (TABLOID-IN SELECT AREAS) the initiative began to unra­ SAYS TRUMP Ī PAGE 16 STAY: DEPUTY CM Ī PAGE 15

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Opposition leaders give a political twist to BJP Minister’s video selfie campaign

Sandeep Phukan and cricketer M.S. Dhoni. NEW DELHI Taking their cue, the BJP’s In the fraught ecosystem of political rivals started their social media, it would own challenge. Apart from appear that even something Mr. Gandhi, former Deputy as innocuous as a Chief Minister of and motivational fitness video is Lalu Prasad’s younger son, not immune to the daily Tejashwi , too, entered cut­and­thrust between the fray. political adversaries. “While we have nothing Hours after Prime Wits and tweets: Rahul Gandhi had a challenge for the PM. against accepting fitness Minister Narendra Modi challenge from @imVkohli, I accepted the fitness — dared the Prime Minister original fitness challenge urge you to accept the challenge from the Indian to take on the fuel challenge. started by Sports Minister challenge to provide jobs to cricket captain Virat Kohli, “Dear PM, Glad to see you Rajyavardhan Rathore last young, relief to farmers, Opposition leaders, accept the @imVkohli Tuesday. Posting a 33­ promise of no violence including Congress fitness challenge. Here’s one second video where he is against Dalits & minorities. president Rahul Gandhi, from me: Reduce fuel prices seen doing push­ups in his Would you accept my tweaked the viral social or the Congress will do a office, Mr. Rathore invited challenge @narendramodi media campaign to throw nationwide agitation and actor Hrithik Roshan, Sir?” asked Mr. Yadav. up their own version of a force you to do so. I look badminton star Saina The Congress has kept up political challenge for the forward to your response,” Nehwal and Kohli to join in the heat on the government, Modi government. he said on Twitter. and post their videos. over high petrol and diesel Using the hashtag The cricketer accepted prices. On behalf of the #FuelChallenge and tagging A sporting move and, in turn, invited his wife government, an official said, captain Kohli, Mr. Gandhi — Mr. Gandhi’s political and Bollywood star Anushka “trivialising a noble gesture” a fitness enthusiast himself challenge is a twist on the Sharma, the Prime Minister, was “regrettable.” CM A CH-CHE YK