express illustration NAGAPATTINAM l Thursday l august 27, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l CITY EDITION Meta reaches $17 billion deal with U.S. on teen social media addiction Meta will pay $17 billion to US to end a landmark trial on Wednesday over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states payout one of the biggest in history ‘caused mental health crisis in youths’ California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were among 29 states that sued the tech giant in 2023, but the deal cuts short the trial, which was expected to see CEO Mark Zuckerberg take the stand before a jury in federal court in California. The agreement is worth $353 million in Virginia alone and one of the biggest in consumer protection history ■ ■ The lawsuit accused Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and hiding them from the public The lawsuit argued that Meta violated federal laws by routinely collecting data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent $201 bn was meta’s 2025 revenue, and the lawsuit is a small part of it CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI 95 dead, at least 133 Indian tourists, 37 NRIs among 750 missing after flash floods hit Nepal’s Rasuwa, Dhading; India steps up relief op, Isha Foundation says 77 members untraceable Gyirong County Landslide site r S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y ive Tr i s hu li r nepal SC judge asks CJI to replace Raj HC acting chief justice @ New Delhi Rasuwa District Kathmandu Map not to scale How the flood originated 1 An ice-rock avalanche originating in a high-altitude area likely triggered the devastating flash floods that hurtled down from Tibet across central Nepal districts on Wednesday, experts at ICIMOD said 2 Researchers said the large volume of ice and rock debris may have entered the Lende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi river 3 The event could have generated a sudden surge that carried water, sediment and large boulders downstream Bihar, UP on alert after floods in Nepal Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were on high alert on Wednesday after several districts in neighbouring Nepal were devastated by flash floods in the Gandak river system. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on the flood situation | P8 A screengrab of a massive mudslide caused by flash floods at Rasuwagadhi border point on the Nepal-Tibet border | X Killer Nepal water wall washes away hundreds in a flash e x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi AT least 170 Indians are among 750 tourists and travellers whose whereabouts remain unconfirmed after devastating flash floods swept through Nepal near the Tibet border, killing at least 95 people and leaving a trail of destruction across several of its districts on Wednesday . The Nepal Tourism Board said its preliminary list includes 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali nationals, with Indians constituting the largest identified group of foreign nationals. Another 37 non-resident Indians have also been listed separately as authorities , continue efforts to verify their whereabouts and safety. The flash floods struck the Bhote Koshi River in Nepal’s Rasuwa district on Wednesday sending , torrents of water, mud and de- bris through settlements near the China border. The floodwaters also affected parts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. Visuals from the affected areas showed powerful walls of muddy water sweeping through villages, engulfing buildings and carrying away vehicles and debris. Rescue and search operations are continuing, with authorities warning that the casualty figures could rise as teams reach more affected areas. The large number of Indians caught up in the disaster has prompted an immediate response from New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepal counterpart Balendra Shah and offered condolences over the loss of life, while assuring India’s support. “People of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal at this difficult time,” Modi said, adding that India was ready to provide “all possible humanitarian assistance.” The Indian Air Force has dispatched a C-130J aircraft carrying 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and essential medicines, the MEA said. The floods have also affected pilgrims travelling through the region towards Tibet. Isha Foundation chief Sadhguru said 77 members of the organisation were caught in the flash floods and their whereabouts remained unknown. “A terrible and tragic flash flood has taken place at Gyirong in Tibet, one of our Kailash groups was caught in it,” Sadhguru said. The other missing tourists were from US, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands. 37 TN pilgrims missing as bus falls into gorge, 20 safe E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Thanjavur/ Mayiladuthurai/ Chennai/ Dharmapuri A total of 37 tourists from Tamil Nadu remained unreachable after the massive flash flood in Nepal. One of the three buses carrying the 57-member group, including 36 women, from TN undertaking a pilgrimage to Manasarovar fell into a gorge express read Vijay opposes Mines Act, sends letter to PM Chennai: CM C Joseph Vijay has opposed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2026, joining several states in objecting to provisions curtailing states’ powers to levy taxes on minerals. In a letter to PM Modi on August 17, Vijay also opposed the provision cancelling pending and unpaid mining taxes | P4 Guv gives nod for Tamil quota law amendment Chennai: TN has amended the law governing the 20% preferential quota for Tamilmedium candidates in state govt recruitment, validating appointments made under the quota since 2010. Guv Arlekar gave his assent to TN Appointment on Preferential Basis under State of Persons Studied in Tamil Medium Act, 2026, on August 6 | P4 following the landslide triggered by the flood, said a staff member of the travel agency who accompanied the pilgrims. As many as 20 people have taken refuge at the Armed Police Outpost in Timure. The tourists include 12 from Cuddalore, 11 from Thanjavur, 10 from Tiruchy, seven from Mayiladuthurai, four each from Krishnagiri and Chennai, three from Puducherry, two each from Dharmapuri and Tiruvarur, and one each from Namakkal and Tiruvannamalai. Sivagnanam Veerasami (63), a retired judge of the Madras HC, was among those missing. Syed Sadiq, the owner of the Super Yathra Agency in Kumbakonam, which organised the tour, said that all 57 pilgrims flew from Chennai airport to Delhi on August 23. The tourists flew on a single flight the next day to Kathmandu from Delhi. Syed accompanied the group till Kathmandu, and from there he returned back to Kumbakonam. His son Sayed Umar Farook is with the tourists. On Wednesday morning, the 57 tourists, including Farook, took three buses from Syabrubesi to Gyirong.  P5 SC issues directions to fast-track dowry cases S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court has issued a slew of directions to fasttrack the prosecution of cases under Sections 304-B (dowry death) and 498-A (dowry harassment) of the Indian Penal Code, which correspond to Sections 80 and 85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. A bench of Justice Sanjay Karol (now retired) and Justice Augustine George Masih issued these directions on August 20 after considering compliance with its judgment of December 15, 2025, in State of Uttar Pradesh versus Ajmal Beg case. “The concerned District Judiciary shall identify cases pending beyond three years, particularly those pending at the stage of framing of charge or recording of evidence, and undertake periodic monitoring thereof through monthly or quarterly review mechanisms,” the bench said. The SC directed all high courts, states and Union territories to file status and compliance reports on January 15, May 15 and September 15 each year until there is a substantial reduction in the pendency of dowry cases. The top court called for use of technology to track progress of dowry-related cases. High courts were asked to track s t a g e - w i s e p e n d e n cy through digital dashboards. “Many, who openly seek and give dowry go , scot-free. It has been noted time and again, in various judicial pronouncements that Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 suffers from various difficulties in its implementation,” the court observed, while acknowledging that the practice of giving and accepting dowry has deep roots in society and therefore no swift change is expected. “A concentrated effort is needed on the part of all the involved parties,” it added. CHIEF Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday said that the Collegium is examining Justice Sandeep Mehta’s allegations against Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma. The CJI’s statement came hours after reports said Justice Mehta has shot off three letters to the CJI this month, levelling serious allegations against Justice Sharma. In a press statement issued in the evening, the CJI said the contents of the letters cannot be adjudicated in the public domain and that Justice Sharma must be given a fair opportunity to place his response before any conclusion is reached. Justice Sandeep Mehta Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma The fact that allegations have been made cannot by itself be treated as a finding against the judge, he added. The CJI emphasised that the Supreme Court cannot allow individual complaints concerning judges to be determined through competing claims in the media. Earlier in the day, reports said Justice Mehta wrote to the CJI on August 2, 10 and 17, seek- HAL, France’s Safran seal deal on multi-role combat helicopters The signing marks the start of the engine’s developSTATE-RUN Hindustan Aer- ment and production phase, onautics Ltd (HAL) and with work to be shared France’s Safran Helicopter equally between the two parEngines on Wednesday ent companies. HAL is both inked a contract to a shareholder in jointly develop a SAFHAL and the 3,500 to 4,000 shaft customer for the enhorse power-class gine as the helicop‘Aravalli’ copter enter manufacturer. gine, which will However, the two power H A L’s helicopter proplanned 13-tonne Ingrammes are yet to Beyond dian Multi-Role Helreceive acceptance Mi-17s icopter (IMRH) and of necessity and apThe IMRH is its naval variant, the proval from the Cabintended to 12.5-tonne Deckinet Committee on eventually Based Multi-Role Security, with HAL replace the Helicopter. funding preparatory Indian The contract covwork from its own ers the engine’s de- military’s fleet resources. of over 240 sign, development, HAL chair man manufacture, supply Russian-origin and managing direcMi-17 and lifecycle suptor Ravi K said the helicopters. port. The ‘Aravalli’ contract marked a The first will be developed by “significant step forSAFHAL Helicopter prototype will ward” in India’s purEngines Pvt Ltd, a be out in 2028. suit of self-reliance 50:50 joint venture in aero-engine techbetween HAL and Safran nology. Safran Helicopter Helicopter Engines, the ro- Engines CEO Olivier Antorcraft engine arm of Sa- dries said the programme fran, with the production represented a new chapter planned at HAL’s facility in in the strategic relationship Tumakuru, Karnataka. between India and France. J a v a r i a Rana @ New Delhi Trinamool rebels get notice from Lok Sabha secretariat The Lok Sabha secretariat has given 20 rebel TMC MPs, who merged with the Tripura-based Nationalist Citizens Party of India in June, seven days to reply to a petition seeking their disqualification on grounds of defection | P7 ing the immediate replacement of Justice Sharma with a chief justice from another HC. According to reports, the letters alleged that Justice Sharma, who has been serving as the acting chief justice for the past 10 months, manipulated case listings and misused his administrative powers. “There are innumerable instances of Justice Sharma, exercising powers as the Acting Chief Justice in a manner unbecoming of the leader of the institution,” Justice Mehta wrote in one of his letters. He said that during his visits to Rajasthan, numerous judges met him and expressed anguish over Justice Shar ma’s behaviour. Justice Sharma is due to retire on September 26. Ravi Ayyanar Man, dad die after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning well E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai In a tragic accident, a 64-yearold man and his 35-year-old son allegedly died after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning an open well in Elephant Gate near Sowcarpet on Wednesday . The victims, who were found unconscious inside the well, were brought out by the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department personnel and rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital where they were declared brought dead by doctors. The bodies were later sent for postmortem. According to the Elephant Gate police, the deceased were identified as Ravi and his son R Ayyanar. The natives of Thiruvannamalai were residing at Kodungaiyur. They were engaged in cleaning wells and plumbing work. On Wednesday, they were hired by a plumber, Cittibabu (41), known to the house owner Prashanth, to desilt a 45-foot-deep well inside the house. Prashanth runs a business in Chennai, police said. Inquiries revealed that Ravi first got into the well using a rope and started to work, when he inhaled toxic gas and collapsed.  P5 Vijay to open Mettur Dam for irrigation on Sept 1 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Salem/Thanjavur Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to open the Mettur Dam for delta irrigation on September 1. The Tamil Nadu government has decided to release water for 45 days, subject to the reservoir’s storage and inflow. The Water Resources Department’s announcement on Wednesday comes as the dam’s water level inches towards the 90-foot mark, which is generally considered an important operating level for commencing release of water for irrigation. As of Wednesday evening, the water level in Mettur Dam stood at 89.01 feet with 51,526 mcft of water in storage and in- Water level at Mettur Dam stood at 89.01 ft (75% capacity) on Wednesday | Express flow of 8,827 cusecs. About 2,000 cusecs of water was being discharged into the river. The customary June 12 date for opening the dam for delta irrigation was missed this year, as the res- ervoir did not have the required storage. The inability to release the water on the customary date has already affected Kuruvai cultivation, with the area under the crop in the delta dis- tricts estimated to have fallen by around 42,000 hectares. The decision to release water comes amid demand from farmers’ representatives to the government to open the dam by the second week of September to help them successfully carry out samba paddy cultivation. The exact operational schedule for the release will be based on the reservoir’s storage and inflow, according to government sources. West Zone Inspector General of Police R V Ramya Bharathi, Salem Range DIG Santosh Hadimani, and Salem Superintendent of Police S Kuthalingam inspected the dam on Wednesday and reviewed security and safety arrangements.  P5