Tamil Nadu politics witnessed a dramatic showdown inside the Assembly as Chief Minister Vijay secured a decisive victory in the high-stakes trust vote, reinforcing his government’s majority with a commanding display of numbers. The floor test turned into a major political spectacle after opposition parties staged a walkout, while murmurs of cross voting and rebel support within the AIADMK camp intensified pressure on the EPS faction. The trust vote proceedings saw Vijay emerge politically stronger, with alliance partners including Congress, Left parties, VCK and IUML firmly backing the government during the crucial session. Meanwhile, alleged rebel signals from sections of the AIADMK triggered fresh debate over widening cracks inside the opposition camp. WATCH

A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on April 20, triggering tsunami alerts, evacuations and renewed fears of something far bigger, a potential megaquake. Initially, tsunami alerts warned of waves as high as three metres, but those fears were later scaled down as actual surges measured around 80 centimetres. The quake, recorded at a depth of 20 kilometres beneath the Pacific Ocean by the Japan Meteorological Agency, registered an upper 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, strong enough to disrupt movement and damage weaker structures. While there have been no immediate reports of casualties or major destruction, the psychological impact is unmistakable. WATCH