Evening News Report: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay chairs first secretariat meeting; Iran responds to US through Pakistan and others

• Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Presided over the first secretariat meeting after taking the oath.
• Security scare erupts in Bengaluru after gelatin sticks were found near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event venue.
• As tensions escalated in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran responded to the U.S. overtures through Pakistan.
• Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony officially begins van der matalansparking political debate in Tamil Nadu.
• Passengers evacuated from quarantined cruise ship fatal after hantavirus outbreak.

Here are the day’s top stories:

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay presides over first secretariat meeting after taking oath

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK CEO C Joseph Vijay chaired his first formal meeting at the state secretariat after assuming office to review the law and order situation across the state with senior officials. The development comes ahead of the first session of the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly, scheduled to begin on May 11, where the newly elected MLAs will take oath. Follow real-time updates

Bengaluru security scare ahead Prime Minister Modi’s visit After discovering gelatin sticks

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, two gelatin sticks were found near the main event venue in Bengaluru, triggering a major security alert. Police said the explosives were discovered during a routine security check about 3 kilometers from the prime minister’s scheduled arrival location. Read more

Tensions escalate in Hormuz, Iran responds to US via Pakistan

Iran has reportedly responded to the US overtures through Pakistan amid ongoing tensions in the region. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the negotiations did not amount to surrender and stressed that Tehran would defend its national interests. At the same time, Iranian state media said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued new wartime directives. Follow real-time updates

Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony begins with full Vande Mataram ceremony, triggering political buzz

The swearing-in ceremony of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK Chairman Vijay started with a full rendition of Vande Mataram instead of the traditional Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, raising eyebrows. The move was widely seen as a political message, in line with the Center’s push for the national anthem to be more prominent. Read more

Passengers begin evacuating from quarantined cruise ship amid hantavirus scare

Passengers aboard the quarantined MV Hondius cruise ship have begun disembarking in Spain’s Canary Islands after an outbreak of a deadly hantavirus linked to a rare strain of the Andean virus killed three people and infected several others. Authorities said more than 140 passengers and crew members were still asymptomatic when evacuations began near Tenerife. Read more