Morning Digest | Coastal Tamil Nadu braces for heavy rain as Andhra Pradesh gears up for Michaung landfall, Four States gear up for counting of votes on December 3

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on December 03, 2023

Assembly elections | Four States gear up for counting of votes on December 3

The outcome of the Assembly elections in the four crucial States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana will be known on December 3, giving a peep into the possible political permutations and combinations in store for the Lok Sabha election in 2024.

The counting of votes will begin at 8 a.m. for 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 90 seats in Chhattisgarh, 119 seats in Telangana and 199 seats in Rajasthan, where the election to one seat was postponed owing to the death of a candidate. The counting will be held amid tight security and only people holding valid passes will be allowed to enter the counting centres, election officials said.

Cyclone Michaung | Coastal Tamil Nadu braces for heavy rain as Andhra Pradesh gears up for landfall

Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu prepared for heavy rainfall in their coastal districts as a deep depression intensified over the Bay of Bengal, moving northwest and likely to evolve into Cyclone Michaung by December 3 morning. Winds with a maximum sustained speed of 80 to 90 kmph, gusting up to 100 kmph, are expected, the India Meteorological Department said on December 2.

India, Maldives to set up core group to further deepen ties as PM Modi meets new Maldivian President Muizzu

India and the Maldives on Friday agreed to set up a core group to further deepen their partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a “productive” meeting with newly-elected Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on the sidelines of the UN’s COP 28 climate summit.